Congruence subgroups For N \in \N let \Gamma (N) be the kernel of the canonical projection :\mathrm{SL}_{2}(\Z ) \to \mathrm{SL}_{2}(\Z/N \Z). We call \Gamma (N) principal
congruence subgroup of level N. A subgroup \Gamma \subseteq \mathrm{SL}_{2}(\Z) is called a congruence subgroup, if there exists N\in \N , so that \Gamma (N) \subseteq \Gamma. All congruence subgroups are discrete. Let :\overline{\Gamma(1)}:= \Gamma(1) /\{\pm 1\}. For a congruence subgroup \Gamma, let \overline{\Gamma} be the image of \Gamma in \overline{\Gamma(1)}. If
S is a system of representatives of \overline{\Gamma} \backslash \overline{\Gamma(1)}, then :SD = \bigcup_{\gamma \in S} \gamma D is a fundamental domain for \Gamma. The set S is uniquely determined by the fundamental domain SD. Furthermore, S is finite. The points \gamma \infty for \gamma \in S are called cusps of the fundamental domain SD. They are a subset of \Q \cup \{\infty\}. For every cusp c there exists \sigma \in \Gamma(1) with \sigma \infty = c.
Maass forms of weight k Let \Gamma be a congruence subgroup and k \in \Z. We define the hyperbolic Laplace operator \Delta_{k} of weight k as :\Delta_{k} : C^{\infty }(\mathcal{H}) \to C^{\infty}(\mathcal{H}), :\Delta_{k} = -y^{2} \left (\frac{\partial^{2}}{\partial x^{2}} + \frac{\partial^{2}}{\partial y^{2}} \right ) + iky\frac{\partial}{\partial x}. This is a generalization of the hyperbolic Laplace operator \Delta_{0}=\Delta. We define an operation of \mathrm{SL}_{2}(\R) on C^{\infty}(\mathcal{H}) by :f_\right)^{-k}f(gz) where :z \in \mathcal{H}, g = \begin{pmatrix} \ast & \ast \\ c & d \\ \end{pmatrix} \in \mathrm{SL}_{2}(\R), f \in C^{\infty}(\mathcal{H}). It can be shown that :(\Delta_{k}f)_{||k}g = \Delta_{k}(f_{||k}g) holds for all f \in C^{\infty}(\mathcal{H}), k \in \Z and every g \in \mathrm{SL}_{2}(\R). Therefore, \Delta_{k} operates on the vector space :C^{\infty}(\Gamma \backslash \mathcal{H},k) := \{ f \in C^{\infty}(\mathcal{H}) : f_{||k}\gamma = f \forall \gamma \in \Gamma\}.
Definition. A
Maass form of weight k\in \Z for \Gamma is a function f \in C^{\infty}(\Gamma \backslash \mathcal{H}, k) that is an eigenfunction of \Delta_{k} and is of moderate growth at the cusps. The term moderate growth at cusps needs clarification. Infinity is a cusp for \Gamma, a function f \in C^{\infty}(\Gamma \backslash \mathcal{H}, k) is of moderate growth at \infty if f(x+iy) is bounded by a polynomial in
y as y \to \infty. Let c \in \Q be another cusp. Then there exists \theta \in \mathrm{SL}_{2}(\Z) with \theta (\infty)=c. Let f':=f_{||k}\theta. Then f' \in C^{\infty}(\Gamma' \backslash \mathcal{H}, k), where \Gamma' is the congruence subgroup \theta^{-1}\Gamma\theta. We say f is of moderate growth at the cusp c, if f' is of moderate growth at \infty.
Definition. If \Gamma contains a principal congruence subgroup of level N, we say that f is
cuspidal at infinity, if :\forall z \in \mathcal{H}: \quad \int_{0}^{N} f(z+u) du = 0. We say that f is cuspidal at the cusp c if f' is cuspidal at infinity. If f is cuspidal at every cusp, we call f a
cusp form. We give a simple example of a Maass form of weight k > 1 for the modular group:
Example. Let g : \mathcal{H} \to \Complex be a modular form of even weight k for \Gamma (1). Then f(z):= y^{\frac{k}{2}}g(z) is a Maass form of weight k for the group \Gamma (1).
The spectral problem Let \Gamma be a congruence subgroup of \mathrm{SL}_{2}(\R) and let L^{2}(\Gamma \backslash \mathcal{H},k) be the vector space of all measurable functions f :\mathcal{H} \to \Complex with f_{||k}\gamma = f for all \gamma \in \Gamma satisfying :\|f\|^2 := \int_{\Gamma \backslash \mathcal{H}} |f(z)|^2 d\mu(z) modulo functions with \|f\| = 0. The integral is well defined, since the function |f(z)|^2 is \Gamma-invariant. This is a
Hilbert space with inner product :\langle f,g\rangle = \int_{\Gamma \backslash \mathcal{H}} f(z)\overline{g(z)} d\mu(z). The operator \Delta_k can be defined in a vector space B \subset L^2(\Gamma \backslash \mathcal{H},k) \cap C^{\infty}(\Gamma \backslash \mathcal{H},k) which is dense in L^2(\Gamma \backslash \mathcal{H},k). There \Delta_k is a positive semidefinite symmetric operator. It can be shown, that there exists a unique self-adjoint continuation on L^2(\Gamma \backslash \mathcal{H},k). Define C(\Gamma \backslash \mathcal{H},k) as the space of all cusp forms L^{2}(\Gamma \backslash \mathcal{H} ,k) \cap C^{\infty}(\Gamma \backslash \mathcal{H} ,k). Then \Delta_{k} operates on C(\Gamma \backslash \mathcal{H},k) and has a
discrete spectrum. The spectrum belonging to the orthogonal complement has a continuous part and can be described with the help of (modified) non-holomorphic Eisenstein series, their meromorphic continuations and their residues. (See
Bump or
Iwaniec). If \Gamma is a discrete (torsion free) subgroup of \mathrm{SL}_{2}(\R), so that the quotient \Gamma \backslash \mathcal{H} is compact, the spectral problem simplifies. This is because a discrete cocompact subgroup has no cusps. Here all of the space L^{2}(\Gamma \backslash \mathcal{H} ,k) is a sum of eigenspaces.
Embedding into the space L2(Γ \ G) G = \mathrm{SL}_{2}(\R) is a
locally compact unimodular group with the topology of \R^4. Let \Gamma be a congruence subgroup. Since \Gamma is discrete in G, it is closed in G as well. The group G is unimodular and since the counting measure is a Haar-measure on the discrete group \Gamma, \Gamma is also unimodular. By the Quotient Integral Formula there exists a G-right-invariant Radon measure dx on the locally compact space \Gamma \backslash G. Let L^{2}(\Gamma \backslash G) be the corresponding L^2-space. This space decomposes into a Hilbert space direct sum: : L^2(\Gamma \backslash G) = \bigoplus_{k \in \Z }L^2(\Gamma \backslash G,k) where :L^2(\Gamma \backslash G, k):= \left \{\phi \in L^{2}(\Gamma \backslash G)\mid \phi (xk_\theta) = e^{ik \theta} F(x) \forall x \in \Gamma \backslash G \forall \theta \in \R \right \} and :k_\theta = \begin{pmatrix} \cos(\theta) & -\sin(\theta) \\ \sin(\theta) & \cos(\theta) \\ \end{pmatrix} \in SO(2), \theta \in \R. The Hilbert-space L^2(\Gamma \backslash \mathcal{H}, k) can be embedded isometrically into the Hilbert space L^2(\Gamma \backslash G , k). The isometry is given by the map :\begin{cases} \psi_k : L^2(\Gamma \backslash \mathcal{H}, k) \to L^2(\Gamma \backslash G, k) \\ \psi_{k}(f)(g) := f_{||k}\gamma(i) \end{cases} Therefore, all Maass cusp forms for the congruence group \Gamma can be thought of as elements of L^2(\Gamma \backslash G). L^2(\Gamma \backslash G) is a Hilbert space carrying an operation of the group G, the so-called right
regular representation: :R_g\phi := \phi(xg), \text{ where } x \in \Gamma \backslash G \text{ and } \phi \in L^2(\Gamma \backslash G). One can easily show, that R is a unitary representation of G on the Hilbert space L^{2}(\Gamma \backslash G). One is interested in a decomposition into irreducible subrepresentations. This is only possible if \Gamma is cocompact. If not, there is also a continuous Hilbert-integral part. The interesting part is, that the solution of this problem also solves the spectral problem of Maass forms. (see
Bump, C. 2.3) ==Maass cusp form==