\(\hat{G}\)-local systems on smooth projective curves are potentially automorphic (Q2333203)

Let \(X\) be a smooth, projective, geometrically connected curve over a finite field \(\mathbb{F}_q\). Let \(G\) be a split semisimple algebraic group over \(\mathbb{F}_q\). Its dual group \(\widehat{G}\) is a split reductive group over \(\mathbb{Z}\). Conjecturally, any \(\ell\)-adic \(\widehat{G}\)-local system on \(X\) (thus, any conjugacy class of continuous homomorphisms \(\pi_1(X) \to \widehat{G}(\overline{\mathbb{Q}}_{\ell}))\) should be associated with an everywhere unramified automorphic representation of the group \(G\). It is shown here that for any homomorphism \(\pi_1(X) \to \widehat{G}(\overline{\mathbb{Q}}_{\ell})\) of Zariski dense image, there exists a finite Galois cover \(Y \to X\) over which the associated local system becomes automorphic. More precisely, \textit{V. Lafforgue} [J. Am. Math. Soc. 31, No. 3, 719--891 (2018; Zbl 1395.14017)] associated with each everywhere unramified, cuspidal automorphic representation \(\Pi\) of \(G(\mathbb{A}_K)\), where \(K=\mathbb{F}_q(X)\), a homomorphism \(\sigma_\Pi:\pi_1(X)\to\widehat{G}(\overline{\mathbb{Q}}_{\ell})\). This paper establishes a `potential' converse to this result: Let \(\sigma_\Pi:\pi_1(X)\to\widehat{G}(\overline{\mathbb{Q}}_{\ell})\) be a continuous homomorphism which has Zariski dense image. Then there is a finite Galois extension \(K'/K\) and a cuspidal automorphic representation \(\Pi=\otimes'_v \Pi_v\) of \(G(\mathbb{A}_{K'})\) satisfying: for every place \(v\) of \(K\) one has \(\Pi_v^{G(\mathcal{O}_{K'_v})}\not=0\), and \(\Pi_v\) and \(\sigma|W_{K'_v}\) correspond under the unramified local Langlands correspondence. The authors explain the importance of the condition ``has Zariski dense image'', and use deformation of pseudocharacters.