Real zeros of Eisenstein series and Rankin-Selberg \(L\)-functions (Q2460637)

Let \(\Delta (z)=\sum^\infty_{n=1}\tau(n)e(nz)\) be the unique normalized cusp form of weight \(1<2\) and level one. Let \(L_{\Delta \times \bar \Delta}(s)=\sum_{n=1}\tau^2_n n^{-s}\) be the associated Rankin-Selberg \(L\)-function. The authors prove (Theorem 2) that \(L_{\Delta \times \bar \Delta}(s+11)\) has a simple zero at \(s=\frac 12\) and \(L_{\Delta\times \bar \Delta}(s+11)\) is positive (resp. negative) for \(s\in(0,\frac 12)\) (resp. \(s\in (\frac 12, 1)\)). \(L_{\Delta\times \bar \Delta}(s)\) is related with the theory of Eisenstein series \(E(z,s)\) by the famons Rankin formula. The main tool in the proof of Theorem 2, is the following result (Theorem 1): \(E(z,s)\) have no zeros for \(s\in(0,1)\) when \(\frac 15<\Im\,z<4.94\), and for any \(z\) with \(\Im\,z>90\) there exists \(s_0\in(\frac 12 ,1)\) such that \(E(z,s_0)=0\). The authors state a conjectured generalization of Theorem 2 for any holomorphic modular form of weight \(k\) and level one (Conjecture 2).