Optimal estimates for an average of Hurwitz class numbers (Q1987611)

For a positive integer \(D\) with \(D\equiv 0,3\pmod 4\), the Hurwitz class number \(H(D)\) is defined by \[H(D)=\sum_Q \frac{1}{\#\Gamma_Q},\] where \(Q\) runs over the \(\mathrm{PSL}_2(\mathbb Z)\)-equivalence classes of positive definite binary quadratic forms of discriminant \(-D\) and \(\Gamma_Q\) denotes the stabilizer of \(Q\) in \(\mathrm{PSL}_2(\mathbb Z)\). For \(m\in \mathbb N\), consider the discrete measure \(\mu_m\) on the interval \([-1,1]\) defined by \[\mu_m=\sum_{t\in\mathbb Z, t^2\leq 4m}H(4m-t^2)\delta_{\frac{t}{2\sqrt{m}}},\] where \(\delta_a\) denotes the Dirac measure supported at \(a\). The authors determine the limiting behavior of \(\mu_m\) as \(m\rightarrow \infty\) when \(m\) is a power of a fixed prime \(q\). This yields an equidistribution result for the family \[\left\{ \frac{t}{2q^{\nu/2}}:\nu\in\mathbb N,\ t\in\mathbb Z,\ |t|\leq 2q^{\nu/2}\right\},\] weighted by Hurwitz class numbers. The proof makes use of the resolvent trace formula for Hecke operators on elliptic cusp forms of weight \(k\geq 2\).