Twisted Hecke L-values and period polynomials

Abstract

Let $f_1,...,f_d$ be an orthogonal basis for the space of cusp forms of even weight $2k$ on $\Gamma_0(N)$. Let $L(f_i,s)$ and $L(f_i,\chi,s)$ denote the $L$-function of $f_i$ and its twist by a Dirichlet character $\chi$, respectively. In this note, we obtain a ``trace formula'' for the values $L(f_i,\chi,m)\overline{L(f_i,n)}$ at integers $m$ and $n$ with $0<m,n<2k$ and proper parity. In the case N=1 or N=2, the formula gives us a convenient way to evaluate precisly the value of the ratio $L(f,\chi,m)/L(f,n)$ for a Hecke eigenform $f$.