On values of the Bessel function for generic representations of finite general linear groups (Q6065298)

The paper under review gives very interesting relations between Bessel functions on \(\mathrm{GL}_n(\mathbb{F})\) (where \(\mathbb{F}\) is a finite field) and Kloosterman sums. We recall some definitions. Let \(\psi\) be a non-trivial irreducible complex character of the additive group \(\mathbb{F}\); composing \(\psi\) with the sum along the superdiagonal of matrices we can view \(\psi\) as a character of \(U\), the group of upper uni-triangular matrices in \(\mathrm{GL}_n(\mathbb{F})\). The associated Gelfand-Graev representation is by definition \(\mathrm{Ind}_U^{\mathrm{GL}_n(\mathbb{F})}\psi\), which is well-known to be multiplicity-free. If \(\pi\) is an irreducible representation of \(\mathrm{GL}_n(\mathbb{F})\), we denote by \(W(\psi,\pi)\) (the Whittaker model associated to \((\psi,\pi)\)) the subspace of \(\mathrm{Ind}_U^{\mathrm{GL}_n(\mathbb{F})}\psi\) on which \(\mathrm{GL}_n(\mathbb{F})\) acts via \(\pi\). Viewing \(\mathrm{Ind}_U^{\mathrm{GL}_n(\mathbb{F})}\psi\) (and hence \(W(\psi,\pi)\)) as a space of complex functions on \(\mathrm{GL}_n(\mathbb{F})\), there is a particular function inside \(W(\psi,\pi)\), denoted by \(\mathcal{J}_{\psi,\pi}\), called the Bessel function on \(\mathrm{GL}_n(\mathbb{F})\) with respect to \((\psi,\pi)\). One of the main results of the paper is a link between \(\mathcal{J}_{\psi,\pi}\) and Kloosterman sums: It is shown that certain special values of \(\mathcal{J}_{\psi,\pi}\) appeared as the coefficients of the \(L\)-functions of the exotic Kloosterman sums of Katz. The second main result of the paper has a geometric flavour: It is shown that certain special values of \(\mathcal{J}_{\psi,\pi}\) appeared as the Frobenius traces of the Kloosterman sheaves. This paper is well-written. Several properties and related results of Bessel functions are summarised through the presentation.