Weighted averages of $\operatorname{SL}_2(\mathbb{R})$ automorphic kernel, Part I: non-oscillatory functions

Abstract: We prove a theorem that evaluates weighted averages of sums parametrised by congruence subgroups of $\operatorname{SL}_2(\mathbb{Z})$. In the proof, spectral methods are applied directly to the automorphic kernel instead of going over sums of Kloosterman sums. In number theoretical applications this better preserves the specific symmetries throughout the application of spectral methods. In a separate paper we apply the main theorem to quadratic polynomials and obtain new results about their greatest prime factor and the equidistribution of their roots to prime moduli.