Twist-minimal trace formulas and the Selberg eigenvalue conjecture

Abstract

We derive a fully explicit version of the Selberg trace formula for twist-minimal Maass forms of weight 0 and arbitrary conductor and nebentypus character, and apply it to prove two theorems. First, conditional on Artin's conjecture, we classify the even 2-dimensional Artin representations of small conductor; in particular, we show that the even icosahedral representation of smallest conductor is the one found by Doud and Moore, of conductor 1951. Second, we verify the Selberg eigenvalue conjecture for groups of small level, improving on a result of Huxley from 1985.