An algebraic property of Hecke operators and two indefinite theta series

Abstract

We prove an algebraic property of the elements defining Hecke operators on period polynomials associated with modular forms, which implies that the pairing on period polynomials corresponding to the Petersson scalar product of modular forms is Hecke equivariant. As a consequence of this proof, we derive two indefinite theta series identities which can be seen as analogues of Jacobi's formula for the theta series associated with the sum of four squares.