The Rankin-Selberg method for automorphic distributions

Abstract

This paper describes our method of pairing automorphic distributions. This represents a third technique for obtaining the analytic properties of automorphic L-functions, in addition to the existing methods of integral representations (Rankin-Selberg) and Fourier coefficients of Eisenstein series (Langlands-Shahidi). We recently used this technique to establish new cases of the full analytic continuation of the exterior square L-functions. The paper here gives an exposition of our method in two special, yet representative cases: the Rankin-Selberg tensor product L-functions for PGL(2,Z), as well as for the exterior square L-functions for GL (4,Z).