Squares of automorphic forms on quaternion algebras and central values of \(L\)-functions of modular forms (Q1293166)

Let \(f\) be a newform of weight \(k\) and trivial character with respect to \(\Gamma_0(N)\) for squarefree \(N\) and assume \(f\) has eigenvalue \(-1\) under the Fricke involution \(w_N\). In this paper, the authors characterize the vanishing of the central value \(L(f,k/2)\) of the \(L\)-function of \(f\) completely in terms of elementary properties of the associated automorphic form on the adelic quaternion algebra: \(L(f,k/2)=0\) if and only if the automorphic form corresponding to \(f\) under Eichler's correspondence is orthogonal to all squares of (essential) Hecke eigenforms of level \(N\) on the adelic quaternion algebra. This generalizes the result by \textit{B. Gross} and \textit{S. Kudla} [Compos. Math. 81, 143-209 (1992; Zbl 0807.11027)] (\(k=2\)) to higher weights, but also strengthens it. The proof uses the authors' results on the (non-)vanishing of Yoshida liftings [Nagoya Math. J. 147, 71-106 (1997; Zbl 0924.11033)]. The result has a surprising application connecting the nonvanishing of \(L(f,k/2)\) with the nonvanishing of a special value of \(L(f\otimes\text{ Sym}^2(g),s)\) for a suitable newform \(g\) of weight \(k/2+1\) or \(k/2+3\) with respect to \(\Gamma_0(N)\).