Logan, Kimberly2019-08-202019-08-202019-05https://hdl.handle.net/11299/206231University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation. May 2019. Major: Mathematics. Advisor: Paul Garrett. 1 computer file (PDF); vi, 92 pages.Physicists such as Green, Vanhove, et al show that differential equations involving automorphic forms govern the behavior of gravitons. One particular point of interest is solutions to $(\Delta-\lambda)u=E_{\alpha} E_{\beta}$ on an arithmetic quotient of the exceptional group $E_8$. We establish that the existence of a solution to $(\Delta-\lambda)u=E_{\alpha}E_{\beta}$ on the simpler space $SL_2(\Z)\backslash SL_2(\R)$ for certain values of $\alpha$ and $\beta$ depends on nontrivial zeros of the Riemann zeta function $\zeta(s)$. Further, when such a solution exists, we use spectral theory to solve $(\Delta-\lambda)u=E_{\alpha}E_{\beta}$ on $SL_2(\Z)\backslash SL_2(\R)$ and provide proof of the meromorphic continuation of the solution. The construction of such a solution uses Arthur truncation, the Maass-Selberg formula, and automorphic Sobolev spaces.enautomorphic formgravitonL-functionscattering amplitudeThesis or Dissertation