On the representation numbers satisfying partially multiplicative relations (Q2663296)

Let \(r_Q(n)\) be the number of representations of a nonnegative integer \(n\) by a positive definite integral quadratic form \(Q\) in \(2k\) variables, and let \(N\) be the level of \(Q\). For a prime \(p \nmid N\), \(r_Q(n)\) is said to be \(p\)-multiplicative if \[ r_Q(p^2n)=\frac{r_Q(p^2)r_Q(n)}{r_Q(1)} \] holds for all positive integers \(n\) prime to \(p\). It is shown that if \(r_Q(n)\) is \(p\)-multiplicative for some prime \(p\nmid N\), then \(r_Q(n)\) is \(p\)-multiplicative for all primes \(p\nmid N\). Moreover, this is proven to hold if and only if the theta function \(\Theta_Q(\tau)\) can be expressed as a sum of Eisenstein series, or equivalently that \(\Theta_Q(\tau)\) is an eigenfunction of an appropriate Hecke operator. This result provides a simple criterion for the \(p\)-multiplicativity of \(r_Q(n)\) when the corresponding cuspidal space is one-dimensional.