Mathematical Description
Hecke operators can be realised in a number of contexts. The simplest meaning is combinatorial, namely as taking for a given integer n some function f(Λ) defined on the lattices of fixed rank to
with the sum taken over all the Λ′ that are subgroups of Λ of index n. For example, with n=2 and two dimensions, there are three such Λ′. Modular forms are particular kinds of functions of a lattice, subject to conditions making them analytic functions and homogeneous with respect to homotheties, as well as moderate growth at infinity; these conditions are preserved by the summation, and so Hecke operators preserve the space of modular forms of a given weight.
Another way to express Hecke operators is by means of double cosets in the modular group. In the contemporary adelic approach, this translates to double cosets with respect to some compact subgroups.
Read more about this topic: Hecke Operator
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