Pairings of automorphic distributions

Abstract

We present a pairing of automorphic distributions that applies in situations where a Lie group acts with an open orbit on a product of generalized flag varieties. The pairing gives meaning to an integral of products of automorphic distributions on these varieties. This generalizes classical integral representations or "Rankin-Selberg integrals" of L-functions, and gives new constructions and analytic continuations of automorphic L-functions. Keywords: Automorphic forms, invariant pairings, automorphic distributions, L-functions, analytic continuation, rapid decay.