Rational points on Igusa curves and \(L\)-functions of symmetric representations (Q1915695)

The author first expresses the number of rational points on the characteristic \(p\) Igusa curves \(X_n\) of level \(p^n\) as a sum of class numbers of certain complex quadratic orders. From this the author deduces explicit formulas for the \(L\)-functions associated to the symmetric products of the first étale cohomology groups of the universal elliptic curve over \(X_n\). Finally the Eichler-Selberg trace formula for the group \(\Gamma_1 (p^n)\) is applied and an expression for the \(L\)-functions in terms of the Hecke polynomials associated to the operator \(T_p\) is obtained.