Automorphy of \(\mathrm{Symm}^5(\mathrm{GL}(2))\) and base change (Q496419)

The main result of the paper is an automorphy result for \(\mathrm{Symm}^5\). Let \(f\) be a level 1 cuspform of \(\mathrm{GL}_2(\mathbb{Q})\). If \(\rho\) is the Galois representation attached to \(f\), then \(\mathrm{Symm}^5(\rho)\) is automorphic. Moreover its restriction to any totally real field is still automorphic. The author strengthens his previous result [Ann. Math. (2) 176, No. 2, 1015--1038 (2012; Zbl 1288.11054)] and proves the base change for classical cuspidal modular forms in full generality: Let \(f\) be a newform of arbitrary level and weight \(k \geq 2\). Let \(F\) be any totally real field. Then \(f\) can be lifted to \(F\), i.e., there is a Hilbert newform \(f'\) over \(F\) whose associated Galois representation is isomorphic to the restriction to \(\mathrm{Gal}(\bar{F}/F)\) of the Galois representation attached to \(f\). The key technique used for proving these results stems from the author's previous work on base change for \(\mathrm{GL}_2\) where he used safe chains, i.e., series of congruences between two different newforms. A precise definition of this term depends on the context because one wants to use congruences which allow the use of automorphy lifting theorems after one passes from one form (which is known to be automorphic) to the other (whose automorphy we want to prove). The author constructs in this paper a safe chain between any pair of newforms.