Transcendental values of class group \(L\)-functions (Q652251)

In this article, the authors consider the question of linear independence of class group \(L\)-functions. Let \(K\) be an algebraic number field and \(f\) a complex-valued function of the ideal class group \({\mathfrak H}_K\) of \(K\). Here the authors consider the Dirichlet series \[ L(s,f) := \sum_{\mathfrak a} \frac{f({\mathfrak a})}{{\mathbf N}(\mathfrak a )^s}, \] where the summation is over all integral ideals \(\mathfrak a\) of the ring of integers \(\mathcal{O_K}\) of \(K\). If \(f\) is identically 1, then \(L(s,f)\) is the Dedekind zeta function of \(K\). If \(f\) is a character \(\chi\) of the ideal class group \({\mathfrak H}_K\) of \(K\), then, \(L(s,\chi)\) is a Hecke \(L\)-function. The goal of the authors is to investigate special values of \(L(s,f)\) at \(s=1\) when \(K\) is an imaginary quadratic field and \(f\) takes algebraic values. In particular, they investigate the transcendental nature of \(L(1,\chi)\) when \(\chi\) is an ideal class character and \(K\) is imaginary quadratic and prove the following beautiful theorem: Let \(K\) be an imaginary quadratic field and \({\mathfrak H}_K\) its ideal class group. The values \(L(1,\chi)\), as \(\chi\) ranges over the non-trivial characters of the class group (modulo the action of complex conjugation), and \(\pi\) are linearly independent over \(\overline{\mathbb Q}\). The basic tools are Kronecker's limit formula and Baker's theory of linear forms in logarithms. In the second part of the paper, they derive an upper bound of the number of non-trivial characters \(\chi \!\!\pmod{q}\) for which \(L'(1,\chi)=0\). Conjecturally, \(L'(1,\chi)\) is never equal to zero which is a deep arithmetic question.