A \(p\)-adic Eisenstein measure for vector-weight automorphic forms (Q486443)

The main result of this article is a key step towards the construction of \(p\)-adic \(L\)-functions for automorphic forms on unitary (and symplectic) groups of rank \(> 1\). These automorphic forms need not necessarily have scalar weight (or, correspondingly, a one-dimensional rational representation), but may have *vector-weight*, where a *vector-weight* weight is a descending tuple of integers (or, correspondingly, a finite-dimensional irreducible rational representation). The article [the author, \textit{M. Harris}, \textit{J.-S. Li} and \textit{C. M. Skinner}, ``\(p\)-adic \(L\)-functions for unitary groups'' (to appear)] constructs for a unitary group of higher rank by the ``doubling method'' (as in [\textit{J. Cogdell}, ``Lectures on integral representation of \(L\)-functions'', unpublished notes (2006), \url{http://www.math.osu.edu/~cogdell/columbia-www.pdf}]) \(p\)-adic \(L\)-functions, but solely for *scalar-weight* \(p\)-adic modular forms. This key step is the construction of a \(p\)-adic Eisenstein measure, a continuous linear form {\parindent=6mm \begin{itemize}\item[--] defined on continuous functions (that take values in a \(p\)-adically complete ring), and \item[--] which, in general, takes values in \(p\)-adic automorphic forms and, in particular, on locally constant functions, in \(p\)-adic Eisenstein series. \end{itemize}} This measure, for scalar-weight automorphic forms, has been constructed in [the author, J. Reine Angew. Math. 699, 111--142 (2015; Zbl 1322.11040)]. What is yet needed is a \(p\)-adic Eisenstein measure that takes values in the space of *vector-weight* \(p\)-adic automorphic forms. This article fills this lacuna by closely following the methods of [\textit{N. M. Katz}, Invent. Math. 49, 199--297 (1978; Zbl 0417.12003)] for the construction of this vector-weight \(p\)-adic Eisenstein measure. Section 2 introduces concepts, definitions and notations. In particular, recalled are the three viewpoints on an automorphic form as {\parindent=6mm \begin{itemize}\item[--] a function on a unitary group, \item[--] a function on a hermitian space (as a higher-dimensional half space), and \item[--] a section on a vector bundle over a moduli space (for example, of abelian varieties plus extra structure). \end{itemize}} As in the classical case, there is a \(q\)-expansion principle, here by evaluation at a modulus over a power series ring (such as the Tate curve or, more generally, the Mumford object). In Section 3, given a locally constant function \(F\) and scalar weight \(k\), the existence of an automorphic form on a unitary group of weight \(k\) whose Fourier coefficients are (finite \(\mathbb{Z}\)-linear combinations of) values of \(F\) is proved (Theorem 2). This automorphic form has scalar weight, and thus the methods of the precursor [the author, loc. cit.] can be followed, with slight variations. This automorphic form is an Eisenstein series \(E_f\) for a section \(f\) of an adelic induced representation. The construction \(f = \otimes f_v\) (for the places \(v\) of a totally real field) constitutes the technical heart of the article. First \(f_v\) is constructed at the Archimedean places, then at \(p\) (similar to [the author, loc. cit.]) and finally at those places away from the Archimedean places and \(p\) (the same as in [the author, loc. cit.]). By a translation lemma, it suffices to check the conditions by \(F\) on the Fourier coefficients \(c_h\) of \(E_f\) on a single distinguished one of them, \(c_1\). This Fourier coefficient \(c_1\) is then made explicit and seen to satisfy the condition given by \(F\). Section 4 reviews the theory of rational representations and introduces differential operators on automorphic forms parametrized by a vector of such a representation. These serve as a way to change the weight of an automorphic form, in particular, from scalar to vector weight. Section 5 constructs the \(p\)-adic Eisenstein measure on a unitary group. First Theorem 10 extends the construction of Theorem 2 from locally constant to continuous functions, that is, given a scalar weight \(k\) and continuous function \(F\), there is an automorphic form of weight \(k\) whose Fourier coefficients are (finite \(\mathbb{Z}\)-linear combinations of) values of \(F\). In particular, it is noted that by changing the continuous function \(F\), the automorphic form can change weight and the results of Section 4 show how to obtain a given vector weight. The measure obtained by Theorem 10 (and the \(q\)-expansion principle) then in particular allows us, by evaluation at a CM moduli point, to \(p\)-adically interpolate along varying (highest) weights the value (for example, at a certain modulus such as an abelian variety) of certain vector weight smooth (but not necessarily holomorphic) automorphic forms such as Eisenstein series.