The units of a ring spectrum and a logarithmic cohomology operation

We construct a ``logarithmic’’ cohomology operation on Morava E-theory, which is a homomorphism defined on the multiplicative group of invertible elements in the ring E^0(K) of a space K. We obtain a formula for this map in terms of the action of Hecke operators on Morava E-theory. Our formula is closely related to that for an Euler factor of the Hecke L-function of an automorphic form.