Notes on the arithmetic of Hecke \(L\)-functions (Q2103322)

A conjecture of Deligne states that the special values of motivic \(L\)-functions may be expressed as algebraic numbers times certain periods. This expository article describes the situation for algebraic Hecke characters, that is cohomological automorphic representations of \(\mathrm{GL}_1\). The first 5 sections systematically develop the theory of algebraic Hecke characters; they require only basic algebraic number theory, knowledge of the adeles, and a modicum of sheaf cohomology theory. The final section, which is conceptually and technically more demanding, concerns the ratio between successive critical values of the Hecke \(L\)-function attached to an algebraic Hecke character. \textit{G. Harder} [Invent. Math. 89, 37--118 (1987; Zbl 0629.10023)] established arithmeticity results for these ratios through the study of Eisenstein cohomology for arithmetic subgroups of \(\mathrm{GL}_2\) over a number field \(F\): such a ratio, suitably normalized, is algebraic and satisfies a reciprocity law that describes explicitly the action of the absolute Galois group. As this paper explains in detail, the precise reciprocity law requires taking into account a subtle matter regarding a signature. The author remarks that ``the results of this article show that whereas the analytic theory of \(L\)-functions of automorphic forms on \(\mathrm{GL}(1)\) is not sensitive to the inner structure of the base field, the arithmetic theory\dots crucially depends on the arithmetic structure of the base field.'' This article will be of high value for those seeking a clear treatment of these important topics. The author has recently established general results on the critical values of ratios of Rankin-Selberg \(L\)-functions for \(\mathrm{GL}_n\times \mathrm{GL}_{n'}\) over an imaginary quadratic base field [\textit{A. Raghuram}, ``Eisenstein cohomology for \(\mathrm{GL}(N)\) and the special values of Rankin-Selberg \(L\)-functions over a totally imaginary field'', Preprint, \url{arXiv:2207.03393}]. The final section of this paper is an exposition of these results when \(n=n'=1\).