On local newforms for unramified \(\operatorname{U}(2,1)\) (Q1949786)

The theory of local newforms for irreducible admissible representations of \(p\)-adic groups is important for the study of special values of automorphic \(L\)-functions, since the associated Whittaker functions are appropriate test functions for the global zeta integrals, as well as in the ramification theory of representations of \(p\)-adic groups. The local newforms for a \(p\)-adic group \(G\) are defined with respect to an appropriate decreasing sequence \(K_n\), \(n\geq 0\), of open compact subgroups of \(G\). For a smooth representation \((\pi,V)\) of \(G\), consider the (possibly trivial) space \(V(n)\) of \(K_n\)-invariant vectors. If all \(V(n)\) are trivial, \(\pi\) does not admit newforms. Otherwise, there is a minimal level \(n\), denoted by \(N_\pi\), such that \(V(N_\pi)\) is non-trivial. Then the space of newforms for \(\pi\) is defined as \(V(N_\pi)\). The spaces \(V(n)\) for \(n>N_\pi\) are spaces of oldforms. \textit{W. Casselman} [Math. Ann. 201, 301--314 (1973; Zbl 0239.10015)] considered the newforms for irreducible generic representations of \(\operatorname{GL}_2(F)\), where \(F\) is a \(p\)-adic field, with respect to the sequence \(K_n\) of local versions of the Hecke congruence subgroups. He showed that such a representation admits a newform, which is unique up to a scalar, at the level \(N_\pi\) equal to the conductor of \(\pi\), and gave a formula for the dimension of spaces of oldforms at levels \(n>N_\pi\). Similar results for \(\operatorname{GL}_n(F)\) were obtained by \textit{H. Jacquet, I. I. Piatetski-Shapiro} and \textit{J. Shalika} [Math. Ann. 256, 199--214 (1981; Zbl 0443.22013)] and \textit{M. Reeder} [Am. J. Math. 113, No. 5, 911--930 (1991; Zbl 0758.11027)], and for irreducible representations of \(\operatorname{GSp}_4(F)\) with trivial central character by \textit{B. Roberts} and \textit{R. Schmidt} [in: J. Cogdell (ed.) et al., Arithmetic geometry and automorphic forms. Festschrift dedicated to Stephen Kudla on the occasion of his 60th birthday. Somerville, MA: International Press; Beijing: Higher Education Press. Advanced Lectures in Mathematics (ALM) 19, 505--530 (2011; Zbl 1276.11068)]. The case of the unitary group \(\operatorname{U}(1,1)\) and \(\operatorname{SL}_2(F)\) was considered by \textit{J. M. Lansky} and \textit{A. Raghuram} [Proc. Indian Acad. Sci., Math. Sci. 114, No. 4, 319--343 (2004; Zbl 1059.11039); Pac. J. Math. 231, No. 1, 127--153 (2007; Zbl 1154.22021)]. The paper under review develops the theory of local newforms for the unramified unitary group \(\operatorname{U}(2,1)\) defined by an unramified quadratic extension \(E/F\) of \(p\)-adic fields. The residual characteristic of \(F\) is always assumed to be odd. The sequence \(K_n\) of open compact subgroups is defined in analogy to the paramodular subgroups of \(GSp_4(F)\), cf. [B. Roberts and R. Schmidt, loc. cit.]. The main result of the paper regarding newforms for \(\operatorname{U}(2,1)\) with respect to \(K_n\) is that every irreducible generic representation of \(\operatorname{U}(2,1)\) admits a newform which is unique up to a scalar. In fact, the uniqueness holds in general for any irreducible admissible representation of \(\operatorname{U}(2,1)\) that admits newforms. The dimension formula for the spaces of oldforms for irreducible generic representations of \(\operatorname{U}(2,1)\) is obtained under an additional assumption on the central character of the representation (related to the level of newforms). It is also shown that generic supercuspidal representations always satisfy this assumption. Finally, it is proved under the same assumption that the Whittaker function attached to a (non-trivial) newform is non-zero at the identity. Note that the author in a subsequent paper [J. Ramanujan Math. Soc. 28, No. 1, 91--111 (2013; Zbl 1288.22014)] removed the assumption needed in this paper for the dimension of the spaces of oldforms and the non-zero property of the Whittaker function attached to a newform.