[Math] Did Grothendieck write about modular forms

ag.algebraic-geometryho.history-overviewmodular-formsnt.number-theory

This question might be astoundingly naive, because my understanding of modular forms is so meek. It occurred to me that the reason I was never able to penetrate into the field of modular forms, automorphic forms, the Langland's program and so forth was because my appeal is to things that have the feel of SGA1, and those things do not.

I was wondering, therefore, if Grothendieck had devoted thought to this, and if so where it can be found, and how it is treated in the field at the moment.

Best Answer

No.

That is perhaps a little too categorical, but a mathscinet search with Grothendieck as author and "modular form" or "forme modulaire" as "anywhere" gives no result. I don't remember him mentionning modular forms in "Recoltes et Semailles" either.

More to the point, it is a commonplace in the field of modular and automorphic forms to wish that Grothendieck had given some time to the subject -- and made it a little more "Grothendieck-style". Pierre Cartier gave a talk at the IHES in January 2009 where he deplored that "Grothendieck and Langlands never met".

Also, the correspondence between Serre and Grothendieck contains several letters where Serre tries to attract Grothendieck to the subject of modular forms, and where Grothendieck doesn't conceal his disinterest (to say the least).

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