$p$-adic $L$-functions of Hilbert cusp forms and the trivial zero conjecture

Abstract

We prove a strong form of the trivial zero conjecture at the central point for the $p$-adic $L$-function of a non-critically refined self-dual cohomological cuspidal automorphic representation of $\mathrm{GL}_2$ over a totally real field, which is Iwahori spherical at places above $p$. In the case of a simple zero we adapt the approach of Greenberg and Stevens, based on the functional equation for the $p$-adic $L$-function of a nearly finite slope family and on improved $p$-adic $L$-functions that we construct using automorphic symbols and overconvergent cohomology. For higher order zeros we develop a conceptually new approach studying the variation of the root number in partial families and establishing the vanishing of many Taylor coefficients of the $p$-adic $L$-function of the family.