Mean values of \(L\)-functions over function fields (Q5919768)

Let \(K\) be a finite extension of \({\mathbb F}_p(X)\) and let Div\((K)\) denote the free abelian group on the set of places of \(K\). Set \[ \zeta_K(s)=\sum_{D\in\text{Div}(K),\,D\geq0}q^{-s\deg(D)}, \] where the sum is taken over the effective divisors of \(K\). Then \(\zeta_K(s)\) is a rational function in \(q^{-s}\), and the \(L\)-function \(L_K(s)=(1-q^{-s})(1-q^{1-s})\zeta_K(s)\) is a polynomial in \(q^{-s}\). Let \(\overline{K}\) be an algebraic closure of \(K\) and let \(Q\) denote the set of quadratic extensions of \(K\) in \(\overline{K}\) with the same field of constants as \(K\). For each \(F\in Q\) let \(g_F\) denote the genus of \(F\), and for \(m\geq0\) set \(Q_m=\{F\in Q:g_F=m\}\). For \(n\geq1\), \(m\geq0\), and \(s\in{\mathbb C}\) consider \[ M_K(s,m,n)=\frac{1}{|Q_m|}\sum_{F\in Q_m}L_F(q^{-s})^nL_K(q^{-s})^n. \] Then \(M\) is essentially the average over \(F\in Q_m\) of \(L_F(q^{-s})^n\). In this paper the author defines an analytic function \(\sigma_K(s,n)\) on the half-plane Re\((s)>\frac12\) for each \(n\geq1\). The author shows that \(\sigma_K(s,n)\) serves as an approximation to \(M_K(s,m,n)\), and gives bounds for the errors of these approximations which depend on \(m\), \(n\), and \(s\). These results refine and extend the work of \textit{J. Hoffstein} and \textit{M. Rosen} [J. Reine Angew. Math. 426, 117--150 (1992; Zbl 0754.11036)], \textit{B. Fisher} and \textit{S. Friedberg} [Compos. Math. 140, No. 3, 613--630 (2004; Zbl 1082.11053)], \textit{D. Goldfeld} and \textit{J. Hoffstein} [Invent. Math. 80, 185--208 (1985; Zbl 0564.10043)], and \textit{J. C. Andrade} and \textit{J. P. Keating} [J. Number Theory 132, No. 12, 2793--2816 (2012; Zbl 1278.11082)].