On Kronecker limit formulas for real quadratic fields

Abstract

Let $\zeta(s,C)$ be the partial zeta function attached to a ray class C of a real quadratic field. We study this zeta function at s=1 and s=0, combining some ideas and methods due to Zagier and Shintani. The main results are (1) a generalization of Zagier's formula for the constant term of the Laurent expansion at s=1, (2) some expressions for the value and the first derivative at s=0, related to the theory of continued fractions, and (3) a simple description of the behavior of Shintani's invariant X(C), which is related to $\zeta'(0,C)$, when we change the signature of C.