Deducing Selberg trace formula via Rankin-Selberg method for $\mathrm{GL}_2$ (1810.09437v3)

Abstract: In the 80s, Zagier and Jacquet-Zagier tried to derive the Selberg trace formula by applying the Rankin-Selberg method to the automorphic kernel function. Their derivation was incomplete due to a puzzle of the computation of a residue. We solve this puzzle and complete the derivation. The main input is an extension of the theory of regularized integrals invented by Zagier, which is of independent interest.