Local theta correspondence of tempered representations and Langlands parameters (Q1677221)

Let \(F\) denote a non-Archimedean field of characteristic \(0\), \(E/F\) a field extension of degree \(1\) or \(2\), and \(\varepsilon=\pm 1\). Let \(W_m\) denote an \(m\)-dimensional vector space over \(E\), equipped with a non-degenerate \((-\varepsilon)\)-Hermitian form. Similarly, let \(V_n\) denote an \(n\)-dimensional vector space over \(E\), equipped with a non-degenerate \(\varepsilon\)-Hermitian form. Then the isometry groups \(U(W_m)\) and \(U(V_n)\) together form a reductive dual pair. The \textit{theta correspondence} considered here is a map \(\theta_{W_m,V_n}\) that takes each irreducible representation of \(U(W_m)\) either to zero or to an irreducible representation of \(U(V_m)\). For an irreducible representation \(\pi\) of \(U(W_m)\), the paper states the main problem very well: ``A. Determine precisely when \(\theta_{W_m,V_n}(\pi)\) is nonzero. B. Determine \(\theta_{W_m,V_n}(\pi)\) precisely when it is nonzero.'' In order to state an answer, one needs to have a classification of the irreducible representations. This is provided by the local Langlands correspondence (LLC), which is conjectural in general, but now available for the groups in question, and the authors describe it in detail. They are then able to determine when \(\theta_{W_m,V_n}(\pi)\) is nonzero, and when it's nonzero they describe its Langlands parameter, all in terms of the Langlands parameter of \(\pi\). Earlier works have addressed the same problems, but fewer tools were available. For example, in addition to the LLC, the authors use the fact that the local Gan-Gross-Prasad conjecture is now a theorem.