On the Non-vanishing of the Central Value of Certain L-functions: Unitary Groups

Let $pi$ be an irreducible cuspidal automorphic representation of a quasi-split unitary group ${rm U}_{mathfrak n}$ defined over a number field $F$. Under the assumption that $pi$ has a generic global Arthur parameter, we establish the non-vanishing of the central value of $L$-functions, $L(frac{1}{2},pitimeschi)$, with a certain automorphic character $chi$ of ${rm U}_1$, for the case of ${mathfrak n}=2,3,4$, and for the general ${mathfrak n}geq 5$ by assuming a conjecture on certain refined properties of global Arthur packets. In consequence, we obtain some simultaneous non-vanishing results for the central $L$-values by means of the theory of endoscopy.