A class of non-holomorphic modular forms III: real analytic cusp forms for $\mathrm{SL}_2(\mathbb{Z})$

Abstract

We define canonical real analytic versions of modular forms of integral weight for the full modular group, generalising real analytic Eisenstein series. They are harmonic Maass waveforms with poles at the cusp, whose Fourier coefficients involve periods and quasi-periods of cusp forms, which are conjecturally transcendental. In particular, we settle the question of finding explicit `weak harmonic lifts' for every eigenform of integral weight $k$ and level one. We show that mock modular forms of integral weight are algebro-geometric and have Fourier coefficients proportional to $n^{1-k}(a'_n + \rho a_n)$ for $n\neq 0$, where $\rho$ is the normalised permanent of the period matrix of the corresponding motive, and $a_n, a'_n$ are the Fourier coefficients of a Hecke eigenform and a weakly holomorphic Hecke eigenform, respectively. More generally, this framework provides a conceptual explanation for the algebraicity of the coefficients of mock modular forms in the CM case.