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A simultaneous eigenfunction of all normalized level-one Hecke operators in positive even weight, with nonzero constant Fourier coefficient, is a multiple of the normalized Eisenstein series. The constant coefficient forces its $T_n$ eigenvalue to be ${\sigma }_{k-1}(n)$, and $a_1(T_{n}f)=a_n(f)$ forces $a_n(f)=a_1(f){\sigma }_{k-1}(n)$. Subtracting the matching constant multiple of the Eisenstein series leaves a cusp form. Unless every coefficient vanishes, its prime-index coefficients grow like $p^{k-1}$, contradicting the Fourier coefficient bound for a cusp form $O(p^{k/2})$ when $k\ge 4$. Weight two has no nonzero modular forms, by vanishing of weight-two level-one modular forms.

Fix an even weight $k$ and write $\Gamma =S{L}_2(\mathbb{Z})$. Extend the slash operator for modular forms to positive-determinant rational matrices by the determinant-normalized slash operatorThe automorphy factor identity makes this a right action. Let ${\mathcal{D}}_n$ be the integral matrices of determinant $n>0$. Their left $\Gamma$-cosets have unique determinant-n matrix representatives for Hecke operatorsAn integral row operation obtained from Bézout's identity makes the first column $(a,0{)}^T$, and a row shear reduces the other top entry modulo $d$, proving this description. The usual Hecke operator isThis normalization has $T_1=1$. Right multiplication by $\Gamma$ permutes the left cosets in ${\mathcal{D}}_n$, so $T_{n}f$ has the same modular transformation law as $f$. Each summand is holomorphic in $\mathbb{H}$. Holomorphy at the cusp and preservation of cusp forms follow directly from the coefficient formula below; the full modular group has only one cusp orbit. Thus the operators act on both $M_k$ and $S_k$.

If $f={\sum }_{r\ge 0}{a}_r{q}^r$, summing over $b$ kills terms unless $d\mid r$. Writing $r=d\ell$ gives output exponent $a\ell$, so a term of exponent $m$ requires $a\mid m$ and has original index $r=dm/a=nm/a^2$. Its multiplier is $n^{k-1}{d}^{1-k}=a^{k-1}$. The Fourier coefficients of a composite-index Hecke operator are consequentlyFor $m=0$, this means $a_0(T_{n}f)={\sigma }_{k-1}(n)a_0(f)$. In particular $a_1(T_{n}f)=a_n(f)$. For a prime number $p$,with a nonexistent fractional-index coefficient interpreted as zero.

The Hecke multiplication relations follow from these coefficients. For coprime indices, the two divisor choices combine uniquely and give $T_m{T}_n=T_{mn}$. For prime powers put $A=p^{k-1}$, and, on formal Fourier series, let $U_p(\sum a_m{q}^m)=\sum a_{pm}{q}^m$ and $V_p(\sum a_m{q}^m)=\sum a_m{q}^{pm}$. These individual maps need not preserve level one, but $U_p{V}_p=1$, and the coefficient formula givesMultiplying on the left by $T_p=U_p+A{V}_p$ and cancelling $U_p{V}_p$ yieldsInduction gives $T_{p^u}{T}_{p^v}={\sum }_{j=0}^{\min (u,v)}{p}^{j(k-1)}{T}_{p^{u+v-2j}}$; combining distinct prime factors provesThe modular Hecke algebra is therefore commutative and generated by its prime-index operators. The identity $U_p{V}_p=1$, rather than the generally false reversed identity, is what proves the prime-power recurrence.

On $S_k$ use the positive definite Petersson inner productExponential cusp decay makes this integral finite. The Hecke operators are self-adjoint for the Petersson inner product. Here is the correspondence argument. For a positive-determinant matrix $\alpha$, set $H=\Gamma \cap {\alpha }^{-1}\Gamma \alpha$. The finite sum over the double coset $\Gamma \alpha \Gamma$ unfolds its pairing intoChanging variables $z=\alpha \tau$ preserves hyperbolic area, and $\mathrm{Im}(\alpha \tau )=\det (\alpha )y/|c\tau +d{|}^2$ shows that the determinant-normalized slash factors transfer $\alpha$ from $f$ to ${\alpha }^{-1}$ on $g$. The new quotient is by $\alpha H{\alpha }^{-1}=\Gamma \cap \alpha \Gamma {\alpha }^{-1}$; folding it back gives the operator for the reversed double coset. For $\alpha \in {\mathcal{D}}_n$, its adjugate $n{\alpha }^{-1}$ again lies in ${\mathcal{D}}_n$. Positive scalar matrices act trivially in the determinant normalization, so ${\alpha }^{-1}$ and its adjugate give the same action. The adjugate involution preserves the entire determinant-$n$ correspondence, and the external normalization $n^{k/2-1}$ is real. Thus

Finite-dimensional spectral theory now gives a simultaneous orthonormal eigenbasis on $S_k$, since the operators commute and are self-adjoint. For a common Hecke eigenform $f$ with eigenvalues ${\lambda }_n$, the first-coefficient formula gives $a_n(f)={\lambda }_n{a}_1(f)$. If $a_1(f)=0$, every coefficient vanishes and $f=0$, a contradiction. Rescale each eigenform to have $a_1=1$. The resulting basis is orthogonal, andAll these eigenvalues and coefficients are real. A fixed simultaneous eigenspace is one-dimensional, because its normalized Fourier coefficients are uniquely determined by the eigenvalues.

Applying the multiplication relations to an eigenform givesThe recurrence yields ${\sum }_{r\ge 0}{a}_{p^r}{X}^r=(1-a_{p}X+p^{k-1}{X}^2{)}^{-1}$. Multiplicativity then gives the Euler product of a Hecke eigenforminitially in a right half-plane, for example $\mathrm{Re}s>k/2+1$ using the Fourier coefficient bound for a cusp form. Modular inversion and the Mellin transform of a cusp-form L-function continue $\Lambda (f,s)=(2\pi {)}^{-s}\Gamma (s)L(f,s)$ to an entire function and give $\Lambda (f,s)=i^k\Lambda (f,k-s)$.

There is also an integral structure. If $d=\dim S_k$, choose $F_j={\Delta }^j{R}_{k-12j}$, $1\le j\le d$, with $R_w$ a monomial in $E_4,E_6$ of weight $w$ and constant term one. These forms have integral Fourier coefficients and start with $q^j$; their first $d$ coefficients form a unitriangular matrix. They are a basis, and every cusp form with integral coefficients is an integral combination of them, by successive elimination of its first $d$ coefficients. The coefficient formula shows that $T_n$ preserves this lattice. Its characteristic polynomial is consequently monic with integer coefficients, proving that the Hecke eigenvalues are algebraic integers. Together with self-adjointness, this gives real algebraic integers without requiring any unproved bound for their sizes.

For even $k\ge 4$, the full space decomposes as $M_k=\mathbb{C}{E}_k\oplus S_k$. The normalized Eisenstein series is a simultaneous eigenform withIts coefficients are $-2k{\sigma }_{k-1}(m)/B_k$, and the elementary divisor identity ${\sigma }_{k-1}(m){\sigma }_{k-1}(n)={\sum }_{d\mid \gcd (m,n)}{d}^{k-1}{\sigma }_{k-1}(mn/d^2)$ verifies the eigenvalue formula, including the constant coefficient. Thus the cusp eigenbasis plus $E_k$ diagonalizes the operators on $M_k$. Weight two and odd weights have no forms; in weight zero the constant function has eigenvalue ${\sigma }_{-1}(n)$. As a concrete cuspidal example, $S_{12}=\mathbb{C}\Delta$, so $T_n\Delta =\tau (n)\Delta$ for its Fourier coefficients, and the recurrence gives $\tau (p^2)=\tau (p{)}^2-p^{11}$.

The analytic input for these Mellin transforms is elementary cusp decay. For a level-one weight-$k$ cusp form, the invariant norm of a modular form $y^{k/2}|f(x+iy)|$ is invariant under the modular group. It is bounded on the standard fundamental region, because the cusp expansion decays exponentially, and hence bounded on all of $\mathbb{H}$. Fourier inversion givesTaking $y=1/n$ proves the Fourier coefficient bound for a cusp form $c_n=O(n^{k/2})$. In particular rational translates have polynomially bounded coefficients and exponential decay as $y\to \infty$, uniformly in their real parts. These facts justify the initial Mellin integrations and the later entire continuation.

The Hecke operators organize modular forms simultaneously by their transformation law and their Fourier coefficients. Work with $\Gamma =S{L}_2(\mathbb{Z})$, $M_k$ its space of weight-$k$ modular forms, and $S_k$ its cusp form subspace, with even $k\ge 4$. Odd weights give zero spaces. The normalization below makes the first coefficient of $T_{n}f$ equal to the $n$th coefficient of $f$, which is the key link between operators and arithmetic.

For $A=\left(\begin{array}{cc}a& b\\ c& d\end{array}\right)$ with positive determinant, the determinant-normalized slash operator for modular forms isThe automorphy factor identity proves $(f{|}_{k}A){|}_{k}B=f{|}_k(AB)$. Positive scalar matrices act trivially. Let ${\mathcal{A}}_n$ be the integral matrices of determinant $n>0$. Left multiplication by $\Gamma$ reduces their first column, by Bezout identity, to $(a,0)$ with $a>0$; the determinant then gives $d=n/a>0$. A row shear makes $0\le b<d$. These are unique determinant-n matrix representatives for Hecke operators, so defineRight multiplication by any element of $\Gamma$ permutes these left cosets. The slash operator for modular forms identity therefore proves that $T_{n}f$ has the same modular transformation law as $f$. Each summand is holomorphic on the upper half-plane. Its cusp behavior follows explicitly from the coefficient calculation below, so $T_n$ preserves both $M_k$ and $S_k$.

Insert $f={\sum }_{r\ge 0}{a}_r{q}^r$ in the sum. The finite sum over $b$ is zero unless $d\mid r$, in which case it is $d$. Writing $r=d\ell$ leaves the term $a_{d\ell }{q}^{a\ell }$ with multiplier $n^{k-1}{d}^{1-k}=a^{k-1}$. Thus the Fourier coefficients of a composite-index Hecke operator areFor $m=0$ use $\gcd (0,n)=n$. In particular the constant coefficient becomes ${\sigma }_{k-1}(n)a_0$, so cusp forms remain cusp forms, andfor a prime number $p$. The absence of negative powers proves cusp holomorphy. Notice that no primality assumption is needed in the composite-index formula.

The Hecke multiplication relations can be derived directly, rather than assumed from the coset description. On Fourier series define auxiliary maps $U_p(\sum a_m{q}^m)=\sum a_{pm}{q}^m$ and $V_{p}f(q)=f(q^p)$. They need not separately preserve $M_k$, but $U_p{V}_p=1$. With $c=p^{k-1}$, the coefficient formula givesMultiplying on the left by $U_p+c{V}_p$, the term $j=0$ in the $U_p$ sum contributes $U_p^{r+1}$; the terms with $j\ge 1$ become $c^j{V}_p^{j-1}{U}_p^{r-j}$. Together with the $c{V}_p$ sum this is exactly $T_{p^{r+1}}+c{T}_{p^{r-1}}$. Hence the Hecke prime-power recurrence from q-shift operators isFor coprime $m,n$, substituting the coefficient formula twice gives a sum over $a\mid \gcd (m,r)$ and $b\mid \gcd (n,r)$ with coefficient $(ab{)}^{k-1}{a}_{mnr/(ab{)}^2}(f)$. The divisors $a,b$ correspond uniquely to a divisor $ab\mid \gcd (mn,r)$, so $T_m{T}_n=T_{mn}$. The prime-power recurrence, by induction on the smaller exponent, givesCombining the coprime and prime-power formulas provesIn particular the Hecke operators commute, and the modular Hecke algebra is generated by the prime operators.

The analytic reason for simultaneous diagonalization is the Petersson inner productwhich is positive definite on $S_k$ and convergent because of exponential cusp decay. Here is the adjoint argument. For a matrix $A$, set $H_A=\Gamma \cap A^{-1}\Gamma A$. The left cosets in $\Gamma A\Gamma$ are represented by $A\gamma$ with $\gamma \in H_A\backslash \Gamma$. Unfolding this finite coset sum in the Petersson inner product givesUnder $z=A\tau$, hyperbolic area is unchanged and the determinant factors in the slash operator for modular forms giveThe integration group becomes $A{H}_A{A}^{-1}=\Gamma \cap A\Gamma A^{-1}$. Folding this finite cover back to $\Gamma \backslash \mathbb{H}$ identifies the adjoint with the correspondence for $A^{-1}$. For $A\in {\mathcal{A}}_n$, the matrix $\mathrm{adj}(A)=n{A}^{-1}$ is again integral with determinant $n$; scalar matrices act trivially, and adjugation permutes the double cosets making up ${\mathcal{A}}_n$. The real normalizing factor $n^{k/2-1}$ is unchanged. Thus this proves that Hecke operators are self-adjoint for the Petersson inner product:The valence formula for the modular group makes $S_k$ a finite-dimensional vector space. Commuting self-adjoint operators on a finite-dimensional inner product space have a common orthogonal eigenbasis: diagonalize one operator, use commutativity to preserve each of its eigenspaces, and repeat within those spaces. Therefore $S_k$ has a basis of Hecke eigenforms, with real Hecke operator eigenvalues.

If $f$ is a common Hecke eigenform, say $T_{n}f={\lambda }_{n}f$, its first Fourier coefficient cannot vanish: $a_1=0$ would imply $a_n=a_1(T_{n}f)={\lambda }_n{a}_1=0$ for every $n$. Normalize $a_1=1$. Then the Hecke operator eigenvalue ${\lambda }_n$ is precisely the Fourier coefficient $a_n$. The Hecke multiplication relations becomeConsequently the coefficients are multiplicative at coprime indices, and their local generating function satisfiesThis gives the Euler product of a Hecke eigenformin a half-plane of absolute convergence. The Fourier coefficient bound for a cusp form already supplies such a half-plane; Question 4 improves it to $\mathrm{Re}s>(k+1)/2$.

The L-function of a cusp form also has an analytic description independent of the Hecke eigenform condition. Termwise Mellin transform in an initial right half-plane givesAt infinity the cusp form decays exponentially. Modular inversion gives $f(i/y)=(iy{)}^{k}f(iy)$, so at zero it is $O(y^{-k}{e}^{-2\pi /y})$. The integral therefore converges locally uniformly for every $s$, continuing $\Lambda$ to an entire function. Changing $y$ to $1/y$ provesFor a normalized Hecke eigenform, the Euler product of a Hecke eigenform and this functional equation describe the same completed L-function of a cusp form.

There is also an integral arithmetic structure. One standard consequence of the level-one dimension formula and the valence formula for the modular group is the integral triangular basis of level-one modular forms: if $k=12m+s$ with $s\in \{0,4,6,8,10,14\}$, choose $F_s=1,E_4,E_6,E_4^2,E_4{E}_6,E_4^2{E}_6$ respectively. Thenform a basis of $M_k$, and the terms $1\le j\le m$ form a basis of $S_k$. Their first nonzero terms are $q^j$ with coefficient one and all coefficients are integers. Successive elimination of coefficients of $q,q^2,\dots ,q^m$ shows that these cusp basis elements generate exactly the lattice of rational cusp forms with integral Fourier coefficients. The composite-index coefficient formula preserves this lattice, so each $T_n$ has an integral matrix on it. Its characteristic polynomial is monic with integral coefficients. This proves that Hecke eigenvalues are algebraic integers; self-adjointness also makes every root of that characteristic polynomial real. The field generated by the eigenvalues is a finite totally real number field: a finite set of operators spans the finite-dimensional rational modular Hecke algebra, and every conjugate of each eigenvalue remains a root of its real-rooted characteristic polynomial.

Two basic examples connect the operator theory to familiar modular forms. The normalized Eisenstein series $E_k$ has coefficients proportional to ${\sigma }_{k-1}(n)$. At a prime number its coefficient formula useswhere the second term is zero unless $p\mid m$. This follows by writing $m=p^{r}u$ with $p\nmid u$ and summing a finite geometric series. It proves $T_p{E}_k=(1+p^{k-1})E_k$, and the Hecke multiplication relations give $T_n{E}_k={\sigma }_{k-1}(n)E_k$. Meanwhile $S_{12}=\mathbb{C}\Delta$ implies $T_n\Delta =\tau (n)\Delta$, because $a_1(\Delta )=1$. Thus the Ramanujan tau function is multiplicative and satisfies $\tau (p^{r+1})=\tau (p)\tau (p^r)-p^{11}\tau (p^{r-1})$. For example, $\tau (2)=-24$ gives $\tau (4)=(-24{)}^2-2^{11}=-1472$. This illustrates how Hecke operators turn analytic Fourier coefficients into a coherent arithmetic system.

Use the primitive real-analytic Eisenstein series with exactly the normalization in the PDF. Its coset expression uses ${\Gamma }_{\infty }=\{\pm \left(\begin{array}{cc}1& n\\ 0& 1\end{array}\right):n\in \mathbb{Z}\}$, so primitive bottom rows differing by sign represent the same coset. The factor $1/2$ in the primitive-pair sum accounts for this sign identification. Unlike the sum over all nonzero integer pairs, this Eisenstein series has no additional factor $2\zeta (2w)$. Write $w$ for the Rankin–Selberg integral parameter and $s$ for the Dirichlet series parameter to keep their shift visible.

First establish an initial region where all rearrangements are absolute. The invariant norm of a modular form $y^{k/2}|f(\tau )|$ is bounded: it is $\Gamma$-invariant, continuous on a truncated fundamental domain, and tends to zero at the cusp. Integrating one period of the Fourier series givesWith $y=1/n$, this proves the Fourier coefficient bound for a cusp form $a_n=O(n^{k/2})$, and similarly $b_n=O(n^{k/2})$. Hence $D(f,g,s)$ is initially absolutely convergent for $\mathrm{Re}s>k+1$.

For $\mathrm{Re}w>1$, the primitive real-analytic Eisenstein series is locally uniformly convergent and holomorphic in $w$. On the standard fundamental domain it has at most polynomial growth in $y$, locally uniformly in this half-plane. These are the analytic properties of the Eisenstein series needed here; they can also be checked directly from its defining sum. For example, for real $\sigma >1$ and $y\ge 1$, majorize the primitive sum by the sum over all nonzero pairs and useThis bound follows by comparing a shifted one-dimensional sum with its integral and a largest summand. Summing over $m\ne 0$ gives $E(\tau ,\sigma )=O(y^{\sigma }+y^{1-\sigma })$. For complex $w$, $|E(\tau ,w)|\le E(\tau ,\mathrm{Re}w)$, and the estimates are uniform on compact parameter sets. Since $f$ and $g$ decay exponentially on the cusp end, the integral $I(f,g,w)$ is therefore holomorphic throughout $\mathrm{Re}w>1$ by dominated integration.

The product $f(\tau )\overline{g(\tau )}{y}^k$ is $\Gamma$-invariant: the two modular factors cancel the transformation $\mathrm{Im}(\gamma \tau )=y/|c\tau +d{|}^2$. With the hyperbolic area $d\mu =dxdy/y^2$, Rankin–Selberg unfolding gives, initially for $\mathrm{Re}w>2$,Absolute unfolding is justified by replacing $f\overline{g}$ by $|fg|$ and using the same finite fundamental-domain integral with $E(\tau ,\mathrm{Re}w)$. The subsequent termwise integrations can be justified particularly economically by Cauchy-Schwarz inequality: on each horizontal line,The coefficient bounds make the right side $O(y^{-k-1})$ as $y\downarrow 0$, and it decays exponentially as $y\to \infty$. Multiplication by $y^{\mathrm{Re}w+k-2}$ is integrable at zero when $\mathrm{Re}w>2$. Thus the integral of the inner Fourier series may be evaluated first. Orthogonality of the exponentials givesThe Mellin transform of each exponential isIn the same initial region the sum of the absolute values of these integrals is finite by $a_n\overline{b_n}=O(n^k)$. Consequently the exact Rankin–Selberg integral identity isIn particular the two parameters are not equal: the Dirichlet series argument is shifted by $k-1$.

The holomorphy of $I$ on $\mathrm{Re}w>1$ now gives the required continuation:The right side agrees with the original Dirichlet series on $\mathrm{Re}s>k+1$ and is holomorphic on the larger half-plane. No continuation of the Eisenstein series beyond $\mathrm{Re}w>1$ is needed.

It is important to supply a further argument for absolute convergence: analytic continuation alone does not imply it. For real $w>1$, both $E(\tau ,w)$ and $|f(\tau ){|}^2$ are nonnegative, and their fundamental-domain integral is finite by the cusp estimates above. Tonelli theorem therefore unfolds $I(f,f,w)$ even before knowing convergence of the Dirichlet series. On each fixed horizontal line, the Fourier series converges absolutely and uniformly, so integration in $x$ givesA second use of Tonelli theorem, now in $y$, proves the positive unfolding of a cusp-form square:Since every real $s>k$ has $s=w+k-1$ with $w>1$, we have absolute convergence of $D(f,f,s)$ for $\mathrm{Re}s>k$. Absolute convergence for complex $s$ follows by taking its real part. In fact Cauchy-Schwarz inequality also gives absolute convergence of $D(f,g,s)$ there from the two corresponding square sums.

Finally let $\sigma >(k+1)/2$ and choose $k<\beta <2\sigma -1$. The preceding square-coefficient bound and Cauchy-Schwarz inequality giveThis proves absolute convergence of cusp-form L-series from square coefficients, and henceEquivalently, the suggested elementary inequality works by choosing $k-\sigma <\alpha <\sigma -1$: after multiplication by $n^{-\sigma }$ its two bounds sum to a convergent $\sum n^{-(\sigma -\alpha )}$ and a convergent $\sum |a_n{|}^2{n}^{-(\sigma +\alpha )}$. The existence of this interval is precisely $2\sigma >k+1$.

For a cusp form, the invariant norm of a modular form $|f(\tau )|(\mathrm{Im}\tau {)}^{k/2}$ is bounded on the entire half-plane. It is invariant under the level group; on a truncated fundamental region of a modular subgroup boundedness is compactness, and near each modular cusp exponential decay of the modular cusp expansion dominates the power of height. With this bound, Fourier inversion on a horizontal interval givesChoosing $y=1/n$ proves the Fourier coefficient bound for a cusp form, $a_n=O(n^{k/2})$. Therefore $\sum |a_n|n^{-\sigma }$ converges when $\sigma >k/2+1$, and uniformly on every compact subset of that half-plane. The locally uniform limit of its holomorphic terms is holomorphic, so

For a weight-$k$ cusp form, the invariant norm of a modular form $y^{k/2}|f(z)|$, with $y=\mathrm{Im}z$, is unchanged by the modular group: $\mathrm{Im}(\gamma z)=y/|cz+d{|}^2$ and $|f(\gamma z)|=|cz+d{|}^k|f(z)|$ cancel exactly.

Every orbit meets the standard fundamental domain of the modular group $\mathcal{F}=\{z:|\mathrm{Re}z|\le 1/2,|z|\ge 1\}$, where $y\ge \sqrt{3}/2$. The Fourier expansion of a modular form at the cusp has $f(q)=qh(q)$, with $h$ holomorphic near zero, since $f$ is a cusp form. Thus $|f(x+iy)|=O(e^{-2\pi y})$ uniformly in $x$ as $y\to \infty$, and $y^{k/2}|f|$ tends to zero there. On the remaining compact part of $\mathcal{F}$ it is bounded by continuity. Invariance therefore gives

For every $y>0$, Fourier coefficient extraction givesFor $n\ge 1$, minimize the last factor by taking $y=k/(4\pi n)$. This proves the Fourier coefficient bound for a cusp formThe assertion concerns positive indices; the constant coefficient vanishes because $f$ is a cusp form.

Write $\Gamma =S{L}_2(\mathbb{Z})$ and $G=G{L}_2(\mathbb{Q}{)}^{+}$. The double-coset Hecke algebra consists of $\Gamma$-bi-invariant complex functions on $G$ supported on finitely many double cosets, with convolutionEach double coset has finitely many orbits under left multiplication by $\Gamma$, by rational conjugation of finite-index modular subgroups. Thus the sum is finite and independent of representatives. The characteristic functions of the double cosets form its basis, and its right action on invariant modular forms is $f\ast h={\sum }_{\Gamma x}h(x)f{|}_{k}x$, using the determinant-normalized slash operator.

For a positive integer $n$, let ${\mathcal{M}}_n$ be all integral two-by-two matrices of positive determinant $n$. It is $\Gamma$-bi-invariant. Define $T(n)$ to be its indicator function, equivalently the sum of the distinct double cosets it contains, each with coefficient one. This is the convention consistent with the requested formula. For composite $n$, it need not be the single double coset of $\mathrm{diag}(1,n)$: for instance $2I\in {\mathcal{M}}_4$ cannot lie in that double coset, since multiplying by unimodular integral matrices preserves the greatest common divisor of the entries.

Prove all the needed subgroup facts directly. For a finite-index subgroup $L\subseteq {\mathbb{Z}}^2$, take $a$ to be the least positive first coordinate appearing in $L$ and $d$ the least positive second coordinate on its intersection with the second axis. Euclidean division then shows that the first-coordinate projection is $a\mathbb{Z}$ and $L\cap (\{0\}\times \mathbb{Z})=\{0\}\times d\mathbb{Z}$. Positivity follows, for example, because the finite quotient group kills a nonzero multiple of each coordinate vector. Choose $(a,b)\in L$ and reduce $b$ modulo $d$ to $0\le b<d$. Every vector of $L$ has first coordinate a multiple of $a$, and subtracting that multiple of $(a,b)$ leaves a multiple of $(0,d)$. Therefore these two vectors form a basis of $L$. The parameters $a,d,b$ are unique. Reducing the first coordinate modulo $a$ and then the second modulo $d$ gives precisely $ad$ quotient representatives, so $[{\mathbb{Z}}^2:L]=ad$.

Apply this row Hermite normal form in rank two to the row lattice of an integral matrix $A$ with $\det A=n$. Its row lattice contains $n{\mathbb{Z}}^2$, since $\mathrm{adj}(A)A=nI$, so it has finite index. Its two rows and the displayed two rows are bases of the same row lattice. The two inverse change-of-basis matrices have integer entries, so their determinants are integers whose product is one. Thus the change-of-basis matrix has determinant $\pm 1$; since both orientations are positive, its determinant is one. Thus each orbit under left multiplication by $\Gamma$ has exactly one of the determinant-n matrix representatives for Hecke operatorsThere are ${\sum }_{d\mid n}d$ such representatives, proving finiteness as well as the formula. The subgroup argument is a proof of the relevant Hermite normal form, not an invocation of an unproved lattice classification.

Consequently the normalized Hecke operator isIt preserves $M_k(\Gamma )$: right multiplication by $\Gamma$ permutes the left-multiplication orbits in ${\mathcal{M}}_n$, giving invariance, and cusp holomorphy under rational slash operators gives the holomorphy of each term at every cusp.

For a triangular representative the determinant-normalized slash operator is $f{|}_{k}A=n^{k/2}{d}^{-k}f((az+b)/d)$. Summing the Fourier expansion of a modular form over $b$ kills every index not divisible by $d$, by finite exponential orthogonality. ThusThe Fourier coefficients of a composite-index Hecke operator are thereforeIn particular $a_1(T_{n}f)=a_n(f)$. If $T_{n}f=\lambda f$, comparison of the $q$ coefficients gives

Finally suppose $a_0(f)\ne 0$ and $f$ is a simultaneous eigenfunction. Constant coefficients force ${\lambda }_n={\sigma }_{k-1}(n)$, so $a_n(f)=a_1(f){\sigma }_{k-1}(n)$ for all $n\ge 1$. Weight two cannot occur, by vanishing of weight-two level-one modular forms. For even $k\ge 4$, use the normalized Eisenstein series with its Fourier expansion of a normalized Eisenstein serieswhere $B_k$ is the Bernoulli number. Then $h=f-a_0(f)E_k$ is a cusp form with coefficients $(a_1(f)-a_0(f)c_k){\sigma }_{k-1}(n)$. The Fourier coefficient bound for a cusp form bounds these by $O(n^{k/2})$, but at arbitrarily large primes $p$ their magnitude is $|a_1-a_0{c}_k|(1+p^{k-1})$. Since $k-1>k/2$, the coefficient factor must vanish. All coefficients of $h$ then vanish, including its constant coefficient, so $h=0$ by its cusp expansion and the identity theorem. This proves the noncuspidal level-one Hecke eigenform characterization:

For a cusp form $f$, the invariant norm of a modular formis modular invariant, bounded on $\mathcal{F}$, and tends to zero at its cusp. Part a therefore makes it bounded throughout $\mathfrak{h}$: $|f(x+iy)|\le C{y}^{-k/2}$.