A vanishing theorem for modular symbols on locally symmetric spaces

A modular symbol is the fundamental class of a totally geodesic submanifold embedded in a locally Riemannian symmetric space , which is defined by a subsymmetric space . In this paper, we consider the modular symbol defined by a semisimple symmetric pair (G,G'), and prove a vanishing theorem with respect to the -component in the Matsushima-Murakami formula based on the discretely decomposable theorem of the restriction . In particular, we determine explicitly the middle Hodge components of certain totally real modular symbols on the locally Hermitian symmetric spaces of type IV. Received: December 8, 1996