On special zeros of p-adic L-functions of Hilbert modular forms

Let E be a modular elliptic curve over a totally real number field F. We prove the weak exceptional zero conjecture which links a (higher) derivative of the p-adic L-function attached to E to certain p-adic periods attached to the corresponding Hilbert modular form at the places above p where E has split multiplicative reduction. Under some mild restrictions on p and the conductor of E we deduce the exceptional zero conjecture in the strong form (i.e. where the automorphic p-adic periods are replaced by the -invariants of E defined in terms of Tate periods) from a special case proved earlier by Mok. Crucial for our method is a new construction of the p-adic L-function of E in terms of local data.