Multiple gamma functions and \(L\)-functions (Q5961485)

Multiple gamma functions, first introduced and studied by E. W. Barnes and others around 1900, play an important role in the study of functional equations for Selberg zeta functions and other topics in modern analytic number theory. This paper makes a case for defining a multiple gamma function as a meromorphic function \(\Gamma_P(u)\) associated with any polynomial \(P\) that has integer values at integer points. When \(P(t)=(\begin{smallmatrix} n-t\\ n\end{smallmatrix})\) this definition gives the Barnes function \(\Gamma_{n+1}(u)\). The definition relates \(\Gamma_P(u)\) to the Hurwitz zeta function by the formula NEWLINE\[NEWLINE\Gamma_P(u)= \exp\Biggl[ \sum^\infty_{n=0} {(-1)^n\over n!} P^{(n)}(u)(\zeta'(-n,u)- \zeta'(-n))\Biggr],NEWLINE\]NEWLINE which makes possible simple derivations of many of the basic properties of \(\Gamma_P(u)\). It is also shown that the study of derivatives of Dirichlet \(L\)-functions is equivalent to the study of values of \(\Gamma_P(u)\) at rational points.