Cohomologically induced distinguished representations and cohomological test vectors (Q1731826)

Let \(G\) be a real reductive Lie group with \(K\) a maximal compact subgroup. Unitary representations of \(G\) with nonzero cohomology are classified by \textit{D. A. Vogan jun.} and \textit{G. J. Zuckerman} [Compos. Math. 53, 51--90 (1984; Zbl 0692.22008)]. Indeed, they must be \(A_{\mathfrak{q}}(\lambda)\) modules (that is, modules which are cohomologically induced from unitary characters on the Levi factors) in the admissible range. In particular, the bottom layer consists of the unique lowest \(K\)-type which occurs exactly once. Moreover, it is exactly the lowest \(K\)-type that contribute to the cohomology. The paper under review calls the test vectors in the bottom layer as cohomological test vectors. Theorem A.3, main result of the paper, says that the nonvanishing on the bottom layer implies that of certain restriction maps of cohomology spaces. Theorem 4.5 and Theorem 5.5 give two examples of Theorem A.3. More precisely, they show that the modular symbols at infinity are non-zero in two cases, which are used in the arithmetic study of the Asai \(L\)-functions and the standard \(L\)-functions for \(\mathrm{GSpin}(2n+1)\), respectively.