Characters of supercuspidal representations of \(SL(n)\) (Q1919867)

Let \(\Theta_\pi\) be the character of an irreducible supercuspidal representation \(\pi\) of the special linear group \(\text{SL}_n (F)\), where \(F\) is a \(p\)-adic field of characteristic zero and residual characteristic greater than \(n\). We investigate the existence of a regular elliptic adjoint orbit \({\mathcal O}_\pi\) such that, up to a nonzero constant, \(\Theta_\pi\) (composed with the exponential map) coincides on a neighbourhood of zero with the Fourier transform of the invariant measure on \({\mathcal O}_\pi\). When such an orbit \({\mathcal O}_\pi\) exists, the coefficients in the local expansion of \(\Theta_\pi\) as a linear combination of Fourier transforms of nilpotent adjoint orbits are given as multiples of values of the corresponding Shalika germs at \({\mathcal O}_\pi\). Let \(q\) be the order of the residue class field of \(F\). If \(n\) and \(q-1\) are relatively prime, we show that there is an elliptic orbit \({\mathcal O}_\pi\) as above attached to every irreducible supercuspidal \(\pi\). When \(n\) and \(q-1\) have a common divisor, necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of an orbit \({\mathcal O}_\pi\) are given in terms of the number of representations in the Langlands \(L\)-packet of \(\pi\).