The set of multiplicative arithmetic functions over a ring R
(commutative with identity) can be given a unique functorial ring
structure for which (1) the operation of addition is Dirichlet
convolution and (2) multiplication of completely multiplicative
functions coincides with point-wise multiplication. This existence of
this ring structure can be derived from the existence of the ring of
``big'' Witt vectors, and it yields a ring structure on the set of
formal Dirichlet series that are expressible as an Euler product. The
group of additive arithmetic functions over R also has a naturally
defined ring structure, and there is a functorial ring homomorphism
from the ring of multiplicative functions to the ring of additive
functions that is an isomorphism if R is a Q-algebra. An application
is given to zeta functions of schemes of finite type over the ring
of integers.

Varieties with an action of a reductive group such that the Borel subgroup has an open orbit are called spherical. Spherical varieties are a unifying theme behind many analytic techniques in the theory of automorphic forms, such as the relative trace formula and integral representations of L-functions. After briefly surveying these methods - for which a general and systematic theory is missing - in order to justify this claim, I prove a general result on the representation theory of spherical varieties for split groups over p-adic fields: Irreducible quotients of the "unramified summand" of Cc&#8734(X) (where X is the spherical variety) are "roughly" parametrized by the quotient of a complex torus by a finite reflection group. This generalizes the classical parametrization of the "unramified spectrum" of G by semisimple conjugacy classes in its Langlands dual, and is compatible with recent results of D.Gaitsgory & D.Nadler which assign a "Langlands dual group" to every spherical variety. The main tool in the proof is an action, defined by F.Knop, of the Weyl group of G on the set of Borel orbits on X.

The number of solutions to a set of polynomial equations defined over a
finite field of $q=p^a$ elements is encoded by its zeta function, which is a
rational function in one variable. A question of fundamental interest is
how to compute this function efficiently. We describe a method to solve
this problem (due to Wan) using a $p$-adic trace formula of Dwork. We
examine how well this method works in practice on some explicit examples
coming from a certain class of varieties known as $\Delta$-regular
hypersurfaces. Our experience suggests several potential avenues of further
research.