Quantum Statistical Mechanics and the Boundary of Modular Curves

Abstract

The theory of limiting modular symbols provides a noncommutative geometric model of the boundary of modular curves that includes irrational points in addition to cusps. A noncommutative space associated to this boundary is constructed, as part of a family of noncommutative spaces associated to different continued fractions algorithms, endowed with the structure of a quantum statistical mechanical system. Two special cases of this family of quantum systems can be interpreted as a boundary of the system associated to the Shimura variety of GL₂ and an analog for SL₂. The structure of KMS states for this family of systems is discussed. In the geometric cases, the ground states evaluated on boundary arithmetic elements are given by pairings of cusp forms and limiting modular symbols.