IMlemt lle

Math. Ann. 266, 233-239 (1983)

Am
O Springer-Verlag1983

The Fourth Moment of Ramanujan z-Function

Carlos J. Moreno 1 and Freydoon Shahidi 2'*
1 Department of Mathematics, University of Illinois, Urbana, [L 61801, USA
2 Department of Mathematics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA

The purpose of this note is to give a proof of the following result for the
Ramanujan arithmetical function z(n) = %(n)n 11/2
Main Thenrem. The Dirichlet series

F(s)= ~ Zo(n)4n -s
n=l
has a meromorphic continuation to the half plane Re(s)_->~ and in the region
Re(s)> 1 it is holomorphic except for a double pole at s = l . In particular .for a
positive real number x we have
to(n)4 ~ cx logx,
n~x
where c is a positive constant.
The interest in establishing a result of this nature comes from some recent work
of Rankin concerning non-trivial estimates for the higher moments of Zo(n) and
other arithmetical functions [-4], and specially from his applications to a result of
Elliott about mean values of multiplicative arithmetic functions I-1]. The proof we
give is based on the work of the second author on the L-function L(s, re, Sym4Q)
applied to the automorphic representation n=rc d corresponding to the
Rarnanujan modular form
FI (l-q")24= 2
n=l n=l
and especially the non-vanishing of these L-functions on the line Re(s)= 1. These
ideas are in turn an outgrowth of the important work of Jacquet, Piatetski-Shapiro
and Shalika on GL,.
In Sect. 1 we relate the study of the Dirichlet series F(s) to the functions
L(s, red, SymeQ) and L(s, ~za,Sym4Q). In Sect. 2 we establish the analytic properties
of F(s) and show how the non-vanishing of L ( l + i t , nA, Sym4o) implies the
presence of a double pole for F(s) at s = 1.

* Partially supported by NSF grant MCS81-01600

234 C.J. Moreno and F. Shahidi

1. The Euler Product of F(s)

In accordance with Deligne's theorem, [z(p)l<2p 1~/2, the roots of the equation
1 - z(p)p- ~X/ZT+ T 2 = 1 - Zo(p)T+ T 2 are complex conjugate and hence we can
put for each prime p
Zo(p) = ~p + ~;1

where ~v is a complex number of absolute value 2. We let 0 :GL2(C)~GL2(~)

denote the standard two dimensional representation. In the notation of [7], with
n , = n ~ | (@nv)being the automorphic representation of GL2(~k_Q)which cor-
responds to the Ramanujan modular form, we put

L(s, n~, Sym 1~) = F(s, n~, Sym 1O)~l(s),

L(s, rG, Sym2 O) = F(s, n~, Sym2 Q)ff2(s),
L(s, rG, Symr = F(s, n~, Sym4 0)~,~(s),

where F(s, n~, Sym ~0) is a product of F-functions which we need not specify and
where
~ ( s ) = 1-I {(1 - ~,p-~)(1 - ~ ; ~ p - ~ ) } - ' ,
P

and
~4(s) = I ] / ( 2 - ~ e - ' ) ( 2 - ~v- 2)(2 - p-~)(1 - ~ ; 2 p - ' ) 0 - ~ ; 4p-~)} - ~.
P

In particular we have

L ( s - ~ , n~, Sym 1a) = (2n)- SF(s) l-[ (1 - z(p)p-~ + p tl - z,)- 1

P

=(2n)-SF(s) ~ z(n)n -~.

n= 1

Since zo(n)=z(n)n -11Iz is bounded in absolute value by d(n), the number of

positive divisors of n, we can obtain by elementary means fairly precise infor-
mation about F(s) within the region of absolute convergence.

Lena 1. For R e ( s ) = o > 1 one has

r ~6
If(s)l < ~(T~)~i.

Proof. From the multiplicative property of Zo(n) and the fact that d(p ~)= v + 1 we
obtain
 Ramanujan r-Function 235

If(s)l = z0 p~
v=

V 4- --vo"
<
= zo P
i;=

=< v 4 p - va
tJ=

From the identity

~, (V_.k 1)4 TV I+llT+llT2+T3
~:o (l-T) s
and the inequality
(1 - T 2) 11
1 + llT+ llTZ+ T3=<(1 + T) ~ -
(1 - T) ll '
with T = p - ~ we get the lemma.
In the following (o(S) -- ((s) will denote the Riemann zeta function.

Lemma 2. With notations as above and for Re(s)> 1, one has

Zo(n)4n-" = ~(s)Z~2(s)3~4(s)1-I Lp(p-~),

n=l p

where Lp(T) is a polynomial of degree 14 whose coefficients are bounded by an

absolute constant independent of p and whose constant and highest term equals 1.
Proof. F r o m the multiplicativity property of Zo(n)4 we have the Euler product
identity

ro(n),~n-S = Vo(pV)4p-W.
i'l= i U=

Therefore, the claim will follow if we prove, with T = p -~, that

Lp(T)
v=0
z~ = (1 - T)ESE(T)aS4(T) '

where for g___ ( ~ ~l) w e h a v e put

S2(T) = det(l 3 - Sym 2 Q(g)T)

---(1 - r T)(1 - r
S4(T) = det (Is - SYm4 Q(g) T)
= ( 1 - (~ T)(1 - (2 T)(1 - T)(1 - ~- 2T)(1 - ~ 4 T ) ,
236 C.J. Moreno and F. Shahidi

and Lp(T) is a polynomial satisfying the properties of the lemma. To simplify

notation we put ~ = ~p. F r o m the basic recurrence relation for the eigenvalues of
the Hecke operators, which can be stated in terms of the formal identity
1
= )_2 ro(F') r~',
1 - Zo(P)T+ T 2 ~=o
or equivalently as

(I-r ~o,-(_--~=5-] r~,

we see that our problem is reduced to showing that

[~v+_l ~-v-1)4 Lp(r)

v=O \ ~ - ~- ~ 9 7" - (l - T)2S2(T)3S4(T)

By a straightforward calculation one shows that

/a~+~ 1\4 l+a(3+5a+3a2)t+a3(3+5a+3a2)t2+a6t 3

v_~o/~l) tv= (1--a4t)(1--a3t)(1--a2t)(1--at)(1--t)
T
Substituting in this identity a = ~z and t = ~ - , and using the fact that

a(3+5a+3a2)t=( 2 ( 3 + 5 ( 2 + 3 ( 4) ~T-

= (3Zo(p) 2 - 1)T,

we obtain

~ z0(pV)4T~ - N(T)
=o S4(T)'
where
N(T) = 1 + (3Zo(p) 2 - 1 ) T + (3Zo(p) 2 - 1)T 2 + T 3 9

If we make use of the fact that

Sz(T ) = 1 - (Zo(p) 2 - 1)T + ('Co(p) 2 - 1 ) T 2 -+- T 3 ,

we obtain that
Lp( T) = N ( T)S2( T)3(1 - T)2
= 1 - c2(P)T 2 +..,-}- T 14 ,

is a polynomial of degree 14 whose coefficients are b o u n d e d by an absolute

constant independent of p, whose constant and highest term equal 1, and whose
linear term equals 0. This completes the p r o o f of the lemma.
Ramanujan r-Function 237

2. Analytic Properties of the Function F(s)

The meromorphic continuation of the Euler product

L(s, ~z~,Sym 2Q) = F(s, 7zoo,Sym 2 O)(2(s),

where F(s,~zo~,Sym2Q)=Fm(s+ ll)Fm(s+ 12)Fro(s+ 1), and Fm(s)=Tz-S/2F(2), was

established by Rankin [5] who also proved that (2(1 +it)@O for all real t. That
L(s,~zd, Sym2~o) is actually an entire function was first proved by Shimura ([-8],
Theorem 1). This was generalized by Jacquet and Gelbart for all automorphic
representations ~ of GL 2 over any global field [9].
From the convergence of the series ~ p - 2 S for all s with Re(s)>89 and the
p
information we have about the polynomial Lp(T) given by Lemma 2, we obtain
that the Euler product

~I Lp(p -~)
p

converges uniformly for any e > 0 in the region Re(s) >__~+ e ; furthermore in this
region it represents a holomorphic function which is free of zeros. To complete the
proof of the main theorem we now prove the following result.
Theorem 1. The function L(s, ~zn,Sym4Q) has a meromorphic continuation to the
whole s-plane, which is holomorphic in the region Re(s)>__ 1 and satisfies
(i) L(s, z~A, Sym40) = L(1 - s, 7z~,Sym40) ;
(ii) L(1 + it, ~za,Sym4Q) :#0 for all real t.
2. The function
L(s, ~a, Sym~ Q)L(s, 7~A,Sym2 Q)L(s, ~zn,Sym4 O)

is holomorphic in the whole s-plane except for simple poles at s = 1 and 0, and is free
of zeros outside the strip 0 < Re (s)< i.
Proof. In [7], Theorem 4.1.1 and Theorem 5.3, it has been shown that for any
automorphic representation ~ of PGL(2) which is not monomial, the L-function
L(s, ~, Sym40) has a meromorphic continuation to the whole s-plane, satisfies a
functional equation of the type (i) and does not vanish on the line Re(s)= 1, except
possibly for at most a simple zero at s = 1. Hence it remains to show that it actually
has no zero at s = 1 and that in the half plane Re(s)> 1 it is free of poles. This will
follow from the following auxiliary lemma, where we use the notation of [2] and
[7]. Let S be the finite set of ramified primes including the infinite ones and put
L~ts, ~) = [I L~(s, ~).
yes

Lemma 3. Suppose ~ is an automorphic representation of GL2(~k) of a 91obal field

K which is not monomial (i.e. ~| for no Hecke character of K • Then
Ls(s, ~, Sym40) is holomorphic in the region Re(s)~ 1 and does not vanish on the line
Re(s) = 1.
238 C.J. Moreno and F. Shahidi

Proof of Lemma 3. We shall use the method of Deligne and Gelbart [2]. L e t / / b e
the lift of n to PGL3(Zkr) as defined by Gelbart and Jacquet [9]. Then H is
cuspidal and
Ls(s, H x H) = Ls(s , rr, Sym 2 ~ | Sym 2 ~)
= Ls(s, re, Sym 4 Q)Ls(s, re, Sym 2 Q)Ls(s, ~, Sym ~Q),

where Ls(s, n, Sym~ is the partial Hecke L-function attached to S. Ls(s, rt, Sym~
has a simple pole at s = l and otherwise is non-zero in the region Re(s)__>l. If
L(s, 17 x H) denotes the full L-function of Jacquet, Piatetski-Shapiro, and Shalika
on GL(3) x GL(3), then we know it has a simple pole at s = 1 (II~-H). Moreover,
the local factors L(s,H~ x 17~), for v~S, are all holomorphic and non-zero in the
region Re(s)>1 ([3], Proposition 1.5, p. 507 and Proposition 3.17, p. 542).
Consequently, Ls(s, H x 17) has a simple pole at s = 1 and otherwise is non-zero on
the line Re(s)= 1 by [7]. This completes the proof of the auxiliary lemma and
hence also of the previous theorem.
F r o m the basic identity of Lemma 2

Zo(n)'n-S = ~(s)2~2(s)3~4(s) I-[ Le(P-s),

n:l p

and from the previous theorem applied to n = nz, we obtain that the expression on
the right hand side has a meromorphic continuation to the half plane Re(s)__>1, at
s = 1 it has a double pole, and otherwise it is a holomorphic function free of zeros
in the region R e ( s ) > l . By a standard use of the Wiener-Ikehara Theorem we
obtain for positive real x sufficiently large

Zo(n)4 ~ cx logx,
n~x

and
s Z'o(p) 4 logp,-~ 2x.
p<x

This completes the proof of the Main Theorem.

Remarks. The meromorphic continuation of F(s) to the region Re(s)> 88 can be
obtained by a more careful analysis of the Euler product l-I Lp(p- s) using the fact
P
that
Lp(T) = 1 - (7 - 12Vo(p)2 + 6Zo(p)4)T2 + ... + T 14 .

This is of some interest when trying to locate the possible singularities of F(s) to
the left of Re(s) = 1. Such information would lead to an asymptotic estimate with
an error term O(x4JS(logx)a), as in Rankin's paper [5]. This would then have
applications to the problem of the Petersson-Ramanujan conjecture for the
Fourier coefficients of the real analytic cusp forms of Maass, namely to
Ramanujan z-Function 239

ra(p)l~p ~ (e>O), w h i c h is the best e s t i m a t e p r e s e n t l y k n o w n for the coef-

ficients o f real a n a l y t i c c u s p f o r m s ; we d o n o t p u r s u e this line h e r e b e c a u s e it
would l e n g t h e n the p a p e r d r a m a t i c a l l y . T h e best e s t i m a t e for the P e t e r s s o n -
R a m a n u j a n c o n j e c t u r e at infinity follows m o r e d i r e c t l y f r o m the w o r k of the
second a u t h o r c o n c e r n i n g the L - f u n c t i o n s L(s, ~, S y m 5 Q).

References
1. Elliott, P.D.T.A. : Multiplicative functions and Ramanujan's z-function. J. Austral. Math. Soc. Ser. A
30, 461-468 (1981)
2. Gelbart, S.: Automorphic forms and Artin's conjecture, Lecture Notes in Math., Vol. 627, pp.
241-270. Berlin, Heidelberg, New York: Springer 1977
3. Jacquet, H., Shalika, J.A. : On Euler products and the classification of automorphic representations
I. Am. Math. 103, 499-558 (1981)
4. Rankin, R.A. : Sums of powers of cusp form coefficients. Math. Ann. 263, 227-236 (1983)
5. Rankin, R.A.: Contributions to the theory of Ramanujan's function z(n) and similar arithmetic
functions, I, II. Proc. Cambridge Phil. Soc. 35, 351-372 (1939); Proc. Cambridge Phil. Soc. 36,
150-151 (1940)
6. Shahidi, F. : On nonvanishing of L-functions. Bull. Am. Soc. Math. 2, 462-464 (1980)
7. Shahidi, F. : On certain L-functions. Am. J. Math. i03, 297-355 (1981)
8. Shimura, G. : On the holomorphy of certain Dirichlet series. Proc. London Math. Soc. 31, 79-98
(1975)
9. Gelbart, S., Jacquet, H. : A relation between automorphic forms on GL(2) and GL(3). Proc. Nat.
Acad. Sci. USA 73, 3348-3350 (1976)

Received May 2, 1983; in revised form August 15, 1983