The second moment of quadratic twists of modular \(L\)-functions (Q990219)

Let \(f\) be a holomorphic modular form of integral weight \(\kappa\) and full level. Let \(L(s,f)\) be the standard \(L\)-function for \(f\), normalized to have functional equation under \(s\mapsto 1-s\). For \(d\) a fundamental discriminant, let \(\chi_d(\cdot)=(d/\cdot)\) denote the primitive quadratic character of conductor \(|d|\), and let \(L(s,f,\chi_d)\) denote the twist of \(L(s,f)\) by \(\chi_d\). The authors study the sum of central twisted \(L\)-values \(\sum L(1/2,f,\chi_{8d})\), where the sum is over odd square-free integers \(d\) in the interval \(0<8d<X\) and where \(\kappa\equiv 0\bmod 4\). (This condition guarantees that the epsilon-factor for each summand is \(+1\).) They show, unconditionally, that this sum is bounded below by \((c+o(1)) X \log X\) where \(c\) is the constant predicted by \textit{J. P. Keating} and \textit{N. C. Snaith} [Commun. Math. Phys. 214, No. 1, 91--110 (2000; Zbl 1051.11047)] for the asymptotics of this sum. (A general method of \textit{Z. Rudnick} and \textit{K. Soundararajan} [Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 102, No. 19, 6837--6838 (2005; Zbl 1159.11317)] to obtain lower bounds in families would give a bound of \(\gg X\log X\).) Conditionally, assuming the GRH for the family of twisted \(L\)-functions \(L(s,f,\chi_d)\) for all fundamental discriminants \(d\) and also for \(\zeta(s)\) and for the symmetric square \(L\)-function attached to \(f\), they show that this sum is equal to \((c+o(1)) X \log X\). Thus conditionally the asymptotics predicted by Keating-Snaith hold. The new input comes from the work of the first author [Ann. Math. (2) 170, No. 2, 981--993 (2009; Zbl 1251.11058)] on obtaining upper bounds for moments of \(L\)-functions assuming the GRH. In this paper the authors extend this approach to conditionally bound shifted moments of \(L\)-functions \(\sum |L(1/2+z_1,f,\chi_d)L(1/2+z_2,f,\chi_d)|^k\) where the sum is over fundamental discriminants \(d\) with \(|d|\leq X\) and \(k\) is a positive real number. The authors indicate (without details) that their methods extend to other fundamental discriminants and to congruence subgroups, and that they can be adapted to treat sums of central values of derivatives over families with functional equation sign of \(-1\). They also may be adapted to obtain a conditional asymptotic formula for the fourth moment of the central values of the quadratic Dirichlet \(L\)-functions \(L(1/2,\chi_d)\).