Exact double averages of twisted \(L\)-values (Q2081439)

Let \(f\) be a new form of weight 2 and level \(N\), and \(K\) an imaginary quadratic extension of \({\mathbb Q}\) with \(\chi\) a character of \(Cl(K)\). The paper studies the average of \(L\)-values \(L(\frac12, f,\chi)\). Previously Michel-Ramakrishnan followed by Feigon-Whitehouse have established explicit formula for the average of \(L(\frac12, f,\chi)\) for fixed \(\chi\) over a family of new forms \(f\) of level \(N\), with restriction on the level \(N\). This paper considers instead the double average: averaging over the family of new forms \(f\) and the characters \(\chi\). The method is to relate the \(L\)-values to squares of periods of automorphic forms on quaternion algebra. The extra averaging over \(\chi\) allows the use of orthogonality relation to simplify the sum of squares of periods. The result is a neat formula for the double average with less restrictions. The double average formula is enough to deduce lower bounds for the average over family of \(f\), and in particular deduce non-vanishing results for \(L(\frac12, f,\chi)\). The paper also produces an average formula over \(f\) alone under milder restrictions than those of Feigon-Whitehouse.