The Riemann hypothesis is one of the most important conjectures in mathematics. It is a statement about the zeros of the Riemann zeta function. Various geometrical and arithmetical objects can be described by so-called global L-functions, which are formally similar to the Riemann zeta-function. One can then ask the same question about the zeros of these L-functions, yielding various generalizations of the Riemann hypothesis. Many mathematicians believe these generalizations of the Riemann hypothesis to be true. The only cases of these conjectures which have been proven occur in the algebraic function field case (not the number field case).
Global L-functions can be associated to elliptic curves, number fields (in which case they are called Dedekind zeta-functions), Maass forms, and Dirichlet characters (in which case they are called Dirichlet L-functions). When the Riemann hypothesis is formulated for Dedekind zeta-functions, it is known as the extended Riemann hypothesis (ERH) and when it is formulated for Dirichlet L-functions, it is known as the generalised Riemann hypothesis (GRH). Another approach to generalization of Riemann hypothesis was given by Atle Selberg and his introduction of class of function satisfying certain properties rather than specific functions, nowadays known as Selberg class. These three statements will be discussed in more detail below. (Many mathematicians use the label generalized Riemann hypothesis to cover the extension of the Riemann hypothesis to all global L-functions, not just the special case of Dirichlet L-functions.)
Generalized Riemann hypothesis asserts that all nontrivial zeros of Dirichlet L-function for primitive Dirichlet character have real part .
The generalized Riemann hypothesis for Dirichlet L-functions was probably formulated for the first time by Adolf Piltz in 1884. [1] It is important to assume primitivity of character since for nonprimitive characters L-functions have infinitely many zeros off this line and don't satisfy functional equation that is used to distinguish between trivial and nontrivial zeros.
A Dirichlet character of modulus q is arithmetic function that is:
If such character , we define the corresponding Dirichlet L-function by:
For every complex number s such that Re s > 1 this series is absolutely convergent. By analytic continuation, this function can be extended to meromorphic function on complex plane having only possible pole in , when character is principal (have only 1 as value for numbers coprime to k). For nonprincipal character, series is conditionally convergent for and analytic continuation is entire function.
We say that Dirichlet character is inprimitive if it is induced by another Dirichlet character of lesser modulus:
Otherwise we say that character is primitive. Generally most statements for Dirichlet L-functions are easier to express for versions with primitive characters. Using Euler product of Dirichlet L-functions we can express L-function of imprimitive character by function of character that induces it:
From factors in this equation we have infinitely many zeros on line: . For primitive Dirichlet character L-function satisfies certain functional equation which allows us to define trivial zeros of as zeros corresponding to poles of gamma function in this equation:
Any other zeros are called nontrivial zeros. Functional equation guarantees that nontrivial zeros lies in critical strip: and are symmetric with respect to critical line . Generalized Riemann Hypothesis says that all nontrivial zeros lies exactly on this line.
Like the original Riemann hypothesis, GRH has far reaching consequences about the distribution of prime numbers:
Suppose is a number field with ring of integers (this ring is the integral closure of the integers in K). If is a nonzero ideal of , we denote its norm by . The Dedekind zeta-function of K is then defined by:
for every complex number s with real part > 1. The sum extends over all non-zero ideals of . That function can be extended by analytic continuation to the meromorphic function on complex plane with only possible pole at and satisfies a functional equation that gives exact location of trivial zeroes and guarantees that nontrivial zeros lie inside critical strip and are symmetric with respect to critical line: .
The extended Riemann hypothesis asserts that for every number field K each nontrivial zero of have real part and then lie on critical line.
Selberg class is defined the following way:
We say that Dirichlet series is in Selberg class if it satisfies following properties:
From analicity follows that poles of gamma factor in must be cancelled by zeros of , that zeros are called trivial zeros. Functional equation guarantees that all nontrivial zeros lie in critical strip and are symmetric with respect to critical line .
Generalized Riemann hypothesis for Selberg class states that all nontrivial zeros of function belonging to Selberg class have real part and then lie on critical line.
Selberg class along with proposition of Riemann hypothesis for it was firs introduced in ( Selberg 1992 ). Instead of considering specific functions, Selberg approach was to give axiomatic definition consisting of properties characterizing most of objects called L-functions or zeta functions and expected to satisfy counterparts or generalizations of Riemann hypothesis.