In this paper we show two classes of noncongruence subgroups satisfy the so-called unbounded denominator property. In particular, we establish our conjecture in [KL08] which says that every type II noncongruence character group of Gamma^0(11) satisfies the unbounded denominator property.
We present a database of several hundred modular forms up to and including weight six on noncongruence subgroups of index $\leq 17$. In addition, our database contains expressions for the Belyi map for genus zero subgroups and equations of the corresponding elliptic curves for genus one subgroups and numerical approximations of noncongruence Eisenstein series to 1500 digits precision.
We study modular forms for the minimal index noncongruence subgroups of the modular group. Our main theorem is a proof of the unbounded denominator conjecture for these groups, and we also provide a study of the Fourier coefficients of Eisenstein series for one of these minimal groups.
In this paper we will use experimental and computational methods to find modular forms for non-congruence subgroups, and the modular forms for congruence subgroups that they are associated with via the Atkin--Swinnerton-Dyer correspondence. We also prove a generalization of a criterion due to Ligozat for an eta-quotient to be a modular function.
In this paper, we consider modular forms for finite index subgroups of the modular group whose Fourier coefficients are algebraic. It is well-known that the Fourier coefficients of any holomorphic modular form for a congruence subgroup (with algebraic coefficients) have bounded denominators. It was observed by Atkin and Swinnerton-Dyer that this is no longer true for modular forms for noncongruence subgroups and they pointed out that unbounded denominator property is a clear distinction between modular forms for noncongruence and congruence modular forms. It is an open question whether genuine…
Atkin and Swinnerton-Dyer congruences are special congruence recursions satisfied by coefficients of noncongruence modular forms. These are in some sense $p$-adic analogues of Hecke recursion satisfied by classic Hecke eigenforms. They actually appeared in different context and sometimes can be obtained using the theory of formal groups. In this survey paper, we introduce the Atkin and Swinnerton-Dyer congruences, and discuss some recent progress on this topic.
We present two approaches that can be used to compute modular forms on noncongruence subgroups. The first approach uses Hejhal's method for which we improve the arbitrary precision solving techniques so that the algorithm becomes about up to two orders of magnitude faster in practical computations. This allows us to obtain high precision numerical estimates of the Fourier coefficients from which the algebraic expressions can be identified using the LLL algorithm. The second approach is restricted to genus zero subgroups and uses efficient methods to compute the Belyi map from which the modular…
Classically, congruence subgroups of the modular group, which can be described by congruence relations, play important roles in group theory and modular forms. In reality, the majority of finite index subgroups of the modular group are noncongruence. These groups as well as their modular forms are central players of this survey article. Differences between congruence and noncongruence subgroups and modular forms will be discussed. We will mainly focus on three interesting aspects of modular forms for noncongruence subgroups: the unbounded denominator property, modularity of the Galois represen…
In this paper we study the compatible family of degree-4 Scholl representations $ρ_{\ell}$ associated with a space $S$ of weight $κ> 2$ noncongruence cusp forms satisfying Quaternion Multiplications over a biquadratic field $K$. It is shown that when either $K$ is totally real or $κ$ is odd, $ρ_\ell$ is automorphic, that is, its associated L-function has the same Euler factors as the L-function of an automorphic form for $GL_4(\mathbb Q)$. Further, it yields a relation between the Fourier coefficients of noncongruence cusp forms in $S$ and those of certain automorphic forms via the three-term …
In this paper, we consider Galois representations of the absolute Galois group $\text{Gal}(\overline {\mathbb Q}/\mathbb Q)$ attached to modular forms for noncongruence subgroups of $\text{SL}_2(\mathbb Z)$. When the underlying modular curves have a model over $\mathbb Q$, these representations are constructed by Scholl and are referred to as Scholl representations, which form a large class of motivic Galois representations. In particular, by a result of Belyi, Scholl representations include the Galois actions on the Jacobian varieties of algebraic curves defined over $\mathbb Q$. As Scholl re…
We give new examples of weight three cusp forms on noncongruence subgroups of SL(2, Z) whose Scholl representation is modular and which satisfy three term Atkin-Swinnerton-Dyer relations.
Given a finite index subgroup of $SL_2(\mathbb Z)$ with modular curve defined over $\mathbb Q$, under the assumption that the space of weight $k$ ($ \ge 2$) cusp forms is $1$-dimensional, we show that a form in this space with Fourier coefficients in $\mathbb Q$ has bounded denominators if and only if it is a congruence modular form.
There is an established bijection between finite-index subgroups Gamma of Gamma(2) and bipartite graphs on surfaces, or, equivalently, certain triples of permutations. We utilize this relationship to study both congruence and noncongruence subgroups in terms of the corresponding graphs. We show some elementary criteria which can be used to identify many noncongruence subgroups. Given a graph on a surface, we have a method to produce generators for the corresponding group Gamma in terms of the generators of Gamma(2). Given generators for Gamma(2n), we show how to determine whether or not a grap…
We continue and complete our previous paper `Lifts of projective congruence groups' [2] concerning the question of whether there exist noncongruence subgroups of $\SL_2(\Z)$ that are projectively equivalent to one of the groups $Γ_0(N)$ or $Γ_1(N)$. A complete answer to this question is obtained: In case of $Γ_0(N)$ such noncongruence subgroups exist precisely if $N\not\in {3,4,8}$ and we additionally have either that $4\mid N$ or that $N$ is divisible by an odd prime congruent to 3 modulo 4. In case of $Γ_1(N)$ these noncongruence subgroups exist precisely if $N>4$. As in our previous paper t…
We define the notion of a $G$-structure for elliptic curves, where $G$ is a finite 2-generated group. When $G$ is abelian, a $G$-structure is the same as a classical congruence level structure. There is a natural action of $\text{SL}_2(\mathbb{Z})$ on these level structures. If $Γ$ is a stabilizer of this action, then the quotient of the upper half plane by $Γ$ parametrizes isomorphism classes of elliptic curves equipped with $G$-structures. When $G$ is "sufficiently" nonabelian, the stabilizers $Γ$ are noncongruence. As a result we realize noncongruence modular curves as moduli spaces of elli…
We classify the three-dimensional representations of the modular group that are reducible but indecomposable, and their associated spaces of holomorphic vector-valued modular forms. We then demonstrate how such representations may be employed to compute periods of modular curves. This technique obviates the use of Hecke operators, and therefore provides a method for studying noncongruence modular curves as well as congruence.
Using the language of vertex operator algebras (VOAs) and vector-valued modular forms we study the modular group representations and spaces of 1-point functions associated to intertwining operators for Virasoro minimal model VOAs. We examine all representations of dimension less than four associated to irreducible modules for minimal models, and determine when the kernel of these representations is a congruence or noncongruence subgroup of the modular group. Arithmetic criteria are given on the indexing of the irreducible modules for minimal models that imply the associated modular group repre…
In this paper we give an example of a noncongruence subgroup whose three-dimensional space of cusp forms of weight 3 has the following properties. For each of the four residue classes of odd primes modulo 8 there is a basis whose Fourier coefficients at infinity satisfy a three-term Atkin and Swinnerton-Dyer congruence relation, which is the $p$-adic analogue of the three-term recursion satisfied by the coefficients of classical Hecke eigen forms. We also show that there is an automorphic $L$-function over $\mathbb Q$ whose local factors agree with those of the $l$-adic Scholl representations …
A thorough analysis is made of the Fourier coefficients for vector-valued modular forms associated to three-dimensional irreducible representations of the modular group. In particular, the following statement is verified for all but a finite number of equivalence classes: if a vector-valued modular form associated to such a representation has rational Fourier coefficients, then these coefficients have "unbounded denominators", i.e. there is a prime number p, depending on the representation, which occurs to an arbitrarily high power in the denominators of the coefficients. This provides a verif…
Determining Fourier coefficients of modular forms of a finite index noncongruence subgroups of the modular group is still a non-trivial task. In this brief note we describe a new algorithm to reliably calculate an approximation for a modular form of a given weight. As an example we calculate the hauptmodul and Belyi map of a genus zero subgroup of the modular group defined via a canonical homomorphism by the second Janko group. Our main result is the field of definition of its Belyi map, the explicit Belyi map and the Fourier coefficients of its hauptmodul.
We give a computationally effective criterion for determining whether a finite-index subgroup of SL(2, Z) is a congruence subgroup, extending earlier work of Hsu for subgroups of PSL(2, Z).
We show that noncongruence subgroups of SL_2(Z) projectively equivalent to congruence subgroups are ubiquitous. More precisely, they always exist if the congruence subgroup in question is a principal congruence subgroup Gamma(N) of level N>2, and they exist in many cases also for Gamma_0(N). The motivation for asking this question is related to modular forms: projectively equivalent groups have the same spaces of cusp forms for all even weights whereas the spaces of cusp forms of odd weights are distinct in general. We make some initial observations on this phenomenon for weight 3 via geometri…
We introduce and study families of finite index subgroups of the modular group that generalize the congruence subgroups. Such groups, termed $ϕ$-congruence subgroups, are obtained by reducing homomorphisms $ϕ$ from the modular group into a linear algebraic group modulo integers. In particular, we examine two families of examples, arising on the one hand from a map into a quasi-unipotent group, and on the other hand from maps into symplectic groups of degree four. In the quasi-unipotent case we also provide a detailed discussion of the corresponding modular forms, using the fact that the tower …
In this paper we describe a method for computing a basis for the space of weight $2$ cusp forms invariant under a non-split Cartan subgroup of prime level $p$. As an application we compute, for certain small values of $p$, explicit equations over $\bf Q$ for the canonical embeddings of the associated modular curves.
We research the location of the zeros of the Eisenstein series and the modular functions from the Hecke type Faber polynomials associated with the normalizers of congruence subgroups which are of genus zero and of level at most twelve. In Part I, we will consider the general theory of modular functions for the normalizers.
In this paper, we study the torsion subgroup of $J_0(N)$ over the field generated by those points in the cuspidal group, where $N$ is an odd positive integer. We prove that, considered as Hecke modules, this group and the cuspidal subgroup are both supported at the maximal Eisenstein ideals.
For any positive integer $N$, we prove that the rational torsion subgroup of $J_0(N)$ agrees with its rational cuspidal subgroups up to a factor of $6N\prod_{p\mid N}(p^2-1)$. Moreover, for modular Jacobians of the form $J_0(DC)$ with $D$ a positive square-free integer and $C$ any positive divisor of $D$, we prove that the $ψ$-part of the torsion subgroup of $J_0(DC)$ agrees with the $ψ$-part of its cuspidal subgroup up to a factor of $6D\prod_{p\mid D}(p^2-1)$, where $ψ$ is any quadratic character of conductor dividing $C$.
We complete the description of semistable models for modular curves associated with maximal subgroups of $\mathrm{GL}_2 ({\mathbb F}_p )$ (for $p$ any prime, $p>5$). That is, in the new cases of non-split Cartan modular curves and exceptional subgroups, we identify the irreducible components and singularities of the reduction mod $p$, and the complete local rings at the singularities. We review the case of split Cartan modular curves. This description suffices for computing the group of connected components of the fibre at $p$ of the Néron model of the Jacobian.
We research the location of the zeros of the Eisenstein series and the modular functions from the Hecke type Faber polynomials associated with the normalizers of congruence subgroups which are of genus zero and of level at most twelve. In Part II, we will observe the location of the zeros of the above functions by numerical calculation.
We prove a formula of Petersson's type for Fourier coefficients of Siegel cusp forms of degree 2 with respect to congruence subgroups, and as a corollary, show upper bound estimates of individual Fourier coefficient. The method in this paper is essentially a generalization of Kitaoka's previous work which studied the full modular case, but some modification is necessary to obtain estimates which are sharp with respect to the level aspect.
Deligne proved that the weights of Siegel modular forms on any congruence subgroup of the Siegel modular group of genus g>1 must be integral or half integral. We give a different proof for this. It uses Mennicke's result that subgroups of finite index of the Siegel modular group are congruence subgroups and some techniques from a paper of Bass-Milnor-Serre.
Let $D$ be an odd square-free positive integer and $C$ a divisor of $D$. For any quadratic character $χ$ modulo $C$, we prove that the $χ$-part of the group $J_0(DC)_\text{tor}$ of torsion points of $J_0(DC)$ coincides with the $χ$-part of its cuspidal subgroup, away from those primes of bad reduction or where possible congruences between oldforms and newforms occur.
After Zagier proved that the traces of singular moduli $j(z)$ are Fourier coefficients of a weakly holomorphic modular form, various properties of the traces of the singular values of modular functions mostly on the full modular group $PSL_2(\mathbb{Z})$ have been investigated such as their exact formulas, limiting distribution, duality, and congruences. The purpose of this paper is to generalize these arithmetic properties of traces of singular values of a weakly holomorphic modular function on the full modular group to those on a congruence subgroup $Γ_0(N)$.
Let $\frak{n}$ be a square-free ideal of $\mathbb{F}_q[T]$. We study the rational torsion subgroup of the Jacobian variety $J_0(\frak{n})$ of the Drinfeld modular curve $X_0(\frak{n})$. We prove that for any prime number $\ell$ not dividing $q(q-1)$, the $\ell$-primary part of this group coincides with that of the cuspidal divisor class group. We further determine the structure of the $\ell$-primary part of the cuspidal divisor class group for any prime $\ell$ not dividing $q-1$.
We derive explicit isomorphisms between certain congruence subgroups of the Siegel modular group, the Hermitian modular group over an arbitrary imaginary-quadratic number field and the modular group over the Hurwitz quaternions of degree 2 and the discriminant kernels of special orthogonal groups SO 0 (2, n), n = 3, 4, 6. The proof is based on an application of linear algebra adapted to the number theoretical needs.
We give a new, simple proof of the trace formula for Hecke operators on modular forms for finite index subgroups of the modular group. The proof uses algebraic properties of certain universal Hecke operators acting on period polynomials of modular forms, and it generalizes an approach developed by Don Zagier and the author for the modular group. This approach leads to a very simple formula for the trace on the space of cusp forms plus the trace on the space of modular forms. As applications, we investigate what happens when varying the weight or the level in the trace formula.
We derive an explicit isomorphism between the Hilbert modular group and certain congruence subgroups on the one hand and particular subgroups of the special orthogonal group $SO(2, 2)$ on the other hand. The proof is based on an application of linear algebra adapted to number theoretical needs.
We study the rational torsion subgroup of the modular Jacobian $J_0(N)$ for $N$ a square-free integer. We give a new proof of a result of Ohta on a generalization of Ogg's conjecture: for a prime number $p \nmid 6N$, the $p$-primary part of the rational torsion subgroup equals that of the cuspidal subgroup. Whereas previous proofs of this result used explicit computations of the cardinalities of these groups, we instead use their structure as modules for the Hecke algebra.
In the course of the proof of the irrationality of zeta(2) R. Apery introduced numbers b_n = \sum_{k=0}^n {n \choose k}^2{n+k \choose k}. Stienstra and Beukers showed that for the prime p > 3 Apery numbers satisfy congruence b((p-1)/2) = 4a^2-2p mod p, if p = a^2+b^2 (where a is odd). Later, Zagier found some generalizations of Apery numbers, so called sporadic sequences, and recently Osburn and Straub proved similar congruences for all but one of the six Zagier's sporadic sequences (three cases were already known to be true) and conjectured the congruence for the sixth sequence. In this paper…
We explicitly write down the Eisenstein elements inside the space of modular symbols for Eisenstein series with integer coefficients for the congruence subgroups Γ_0 (pq) with p and q distinct odd primes, giving an answer to a question of Merel in these cases. We also compute the winding elements explicitly for these congruence subgroups. Our results are explicit versions of the Manin-Drinfeld Theorem.
We study the algebras of modular forms on type IV symmetric domains for simple lattices; that is, lattices for which every Heegner divisor occurs as the divisor of a Borcherds product. For every simple lattice $L$ of signature $(n,2)$ with $3\leq n \leq 10$, we prove that the graded algebra of modular forms for the maximal reflection subgroup of the orthogonal group of $L$ is freely generated. We also show that, with five exceptions, the graded algebra of modular forms for the maximal reflection subgroup of the discriminant kernel of $L$ is also freely generated.
Given a correspondence between a modular curve and an elliptic curve A we study the group of relations among the CM points of A. In particular we prove that the intersection of any finite rank subgroup of A with the set of CM points of A is finite. We also prove a local version of this global result with an effective bound valid also for certain infinite rank subgroups. We deduce the local result from a ``reciprocity'' theorem for CL (canonical lift) points on A. Furthermore we prove similar global and local results for intersections between subgroups of A and isogeny classes in A. Finally we …
We obtain new results on the geometry of Hilbert modular varieties in positive characteristic and morphisms between them. Using these results and methods of rigid geometry, we develop a theory of canonical subgroups for abelian varieties with real multiplication.
We explicitly write down the Eisenstein elements inside the space of modular symbols for Eisenstein series with integer coefficients for the congruence subgroups $Γ_0(N)$ with $N$ odd square-free. We also compute the winding elements explicitly for these congruence subgroups. This gives an answer to a question of Merel in these cases. Our results are explicit versions of the Manin-Drinfeld Theorem [Thm. 6]. These results are the generalization of the paper [1] results to odd square-free level.
For a positive integer $N$, let $\mathscr C(N)$ be the subgroup of $J_0(N)$ generated by the equivalence classes of cuspidal divisors of degree $0$ and $\mathscr C(N)(\mathbb Q):=\mathscr C(N)\cap J_0(N)(\mathbb Q)$ be its $\mathbb Q$-rational subgroup. Let also $\mathscr C_{\mathbb Q}(N)$ be the subgroup of $\mathscr C(N)(\mathbb Q)$ generated by $\mathbb Q$-rational cuspidal divisors. We prove that when $N=n^2M$ for some integer $n$ dividing $24$ and some squarefree integer $M$, the two groups $\mathscr C(N)(\mathbb Q)$ and $\mathscr C_{\mathbb Q}(N)$ are equal. To achieve this, we show that…
It is known that the Selberg zeta function for the modular group has an expression in terms of the class numbers and the fundamental units of the indefinite binary quadratic forms. In the present paper, we generalize such a expression to any congruence subgroup of the modular groups in SL(2,R) and SL(2,C).