Descent and theta functions for metaplectic groups (Q1664348)

In the paper under the review, the authors intiate the study of descent constructions using small representations attached to arbitrary covering groups. In this way, they use descent integrals for metaplectic groups to provide a new approach to constructing specific square-integrable automorphic functions on metaplectic groups. More precisely, descent integrals beginning with theta functions on covers of the classical groups of large rank are studied, and are used to construct square-integrable metaplectic functions on covers related to the group \(\mathrm{GL}_2\). Some properties of the Fourier coefficients of constructed metaplectic functions are established, which happen to be consistent with the Patterson conjecture and with the Chinta-Friedberg-Hoffstein conjecture. Among other properties, it is proved that such Fourier coefficients are arithmetic for infinitely many primes and that they generate a representation with nonzero projection to the space of theta. It is conjectured that in each case one may construct the theta function from such a descent.