Density theorems for exceptional eigenvalues for congruence subgroups (Q1621972)

Let $\kappa\in \{0,1\}$, $\Gamma\subset \mathrm{SL}_2(\mathbb{Z})$ be a congruence subgroup and $\chi$ a character of $\Gamma$, which satisfies $\chi(-I) = (-1)^\kappa$ if $-I\in \Gamma$. Denote with $\mathcal{A}_k(\Gamma,\chi)$ the space of Maaß cusp forms of weight $\kappa$, level $\Gamma$ and character $\chi$. Each $f\in \mathcal{A}_k(\Gamma,\chi)$ is an eigenfunction of the weight $\kappa$ Laplacian $\Delta$ and the space $\mathcal{A}_k(\Gamma,\chi)$ possesses a basis of Hecke eigenforms. For an eigenform $f$ we write $\Delta f = -\lambda_f f$ with $\lambda_f=\frac{1}{4}+t_f^2$ and by $T_p f = \lambda_f(p)f$, for a prime $p$. The generalized Ramanujan conjecture predicts $|\lambda_f(p)|\le 2$ for all primes $p$ and that $t_f$ is real. In contrast to holomorphic cusp forms the generalized Ramanujan conjecture is still open and the best known bound so far is due to Kim and Sarnak (``Refined estimates towards the Ramanujan and Selberg conjectures'', Appendix 2 in [\textit{H. H. Kim}, J. Am. Math. Soc. 16, No. 1, 139--183 (2003; Zbl 1018.11024)]): \[ |\lambda_f(p)|\le p^{7/64} + p^{-7/64}. \] The paper under review studies the density of possible eigenvalues $\lambda_f(p)$, which do not satisfy the expected bound $|\lambda_f(p)|\le 2$. There exist several results in this direction. For example, \textit{P. Sarnak} [Prog. Math. 70, 321--331 (1987; Zbl 0628.10028)] proved for $\Gamma=\mathrm{SL}_2(\mathbb{Z})$ \[ \frac{1}{T^2}\#\left\{\lambda_f\le T^2: |\lambda_f(p)|\ge \alpha \right\} << T^{-\frac{2\log\alpha/2}{\log p}} \] for any prime $p$ and any constant $\alpha > 2$. Similar results were obtained by \textit{M. N. Huxley} [Contemp. Math. 53, 341--349 (1986; Zbl 0601.10019)] for a trivial character $\chi$. The main tool for their proofs is the Selberg trace formula. The author of the paper under the review proves several density theorems for the congruence subgroups $\Gamma=\Gamma(q), \Gamma_0(q)$ and $\Gamma_1(q)$ (see Theorem 1.1, Theorem 1.5 and Theorem 1.9 and Chapter 9). These results are proven using Kuznetsov's formula and extend the previously mentioned density theorems of Sarnak and Huxely. At the end of the introduction the author states that his results should also hold for automorphic forms on $\mathrm{GL}_2$ over an arbitrary number field. He points out that a suitable form of Kuznetsov's formula is available in the adelic setting, which can be found in [\textit{R. W. Bruggeman} and \textit{R. J. Miatello}, Sum formula for SL\(_2\) over a totally real number field. Providence, RI: American Mathematical Society (AMS) (2009; Zbl 1230.11066)] or [\textit{P. Maga}, Int. J. Number Theory 9, No. 7, 1649--1681 (2013; Zbl 1334.11034)].