Hecke algebras, new vectors and new forms on $\Gamma_0(m)$

Abstract

We characterize the space of new forms for $\Gamma_0(m)$ as a common eigenspace of certain Hecke operators which depend on primes $p$ dividing the level $m$. To do that we find generators and relations for a $p$-adic Hecke algebra of functions on $K={\rm GL}_2(\mathbb{Z}_p)$. We explicitly find the $n+1$ irreducible representations of $K$ which contain a vector of level $n$ including the unique representation that contains the "new vector" at level $n$. After translating the $p$-adic Hecke operators that we obtain into classical Hecke operators we obtain the results about the new space mentioned above.