We study the behavior of the greatest common divisor of a^k-1 and b^k-1, where a,b are fixed integers or polynomials, and k varies. In the integer case, we conjecture that when a and b are multiplicatively independent and in addition a-1 and b-1 are coprime, then a^k-1 and b^k-1 are coprime infinitely often. In the polynomial case, we prove a strong version of this conjecture. To do this we use a result of Lang's on the finiteness of torsion points on algebraic curves. We also give a matrix analogue of these results, where for a unimodular matrix A, we look at the greatest common divisor of the elements of the matrix A^k-I.
Anderson introduced a $p$-adic version of soliton theory. He then applied it to the Jacobian variety of a cyclic quotient of a Fermat curve and showed that torsion points of certain prime order lay outside of the theta divisor. In this paper, we evolve his theory further. As an application, we get a stronger result on the intersection of the theta divisor and torsion points on the Jacobian variety for more general curves. New examples are discussed as well. A key new ingredient is a map connecting the $p$-adic loop group and the formal group.
We consider the generalized Jacobian $\widetilde{J}_0(N)$ of a modular curve $X_0(N)$ with respect to a reduced divisor given by the sum of all cusps on it. When $N$ is a power of a prime $\geq 5$, we exhibit that the group of rational torsion points $\widetilde{J}_0(N)(\mathbb{Q})_{\mathrm{Tor}}$ tends to be much smaller than the classical Jacobian.
Let $k$ be a field with algebraic closure $\bar{k}$ and $D \subset \mathbb{P}^{1}_{\bar{k}}$ a reduced, effective divisor of degree $n \ge 3$, write $k(D)$ for the field of moduli of $D$. A. Marinatto proved that when $n$ is odd, or $n = 4$, $D$ descends to a divisor on $\mathbb{P}^{1}_{k(D)}$. We analyze completely the problem of when $D$ descends to a divisor on a smooth, projective curve of genus $0$ on $k(D)$, possibly with no rational points. In particular, we study the remaining cases $n \ge 6$ even, and we obtain conceptual proofs of Marinatto's results and of a theorem by B. Huggins ab…
We establish a connection between torsion packets on curves of genus $2$ and pairs of elliptic curves realized as double covers of the projective line $\mathbb{P}_{x}^{1}$ that have many common torsion $x$-coordinates. This can be used to show that the set of common torsion $x$-coordinates has size at least $22$ infinitely often and has $34$ elements in some cases. We also explain how we obtained the current record example of a hyperelliptic torsion packet on a genus $2$ curve.
For any number field, we prove that there exists an elliptic curve defined over this field such that its Shafarevich-Tate group has a nontrivial 2-torsion subgroup.
We give algorithms for computing with divisors on projective curves over finite fields, and with their Jacobians, using the algorithmic representation of projective curves developed by Khuri-Makdisi. We show that many desirable operations can be done efficiently in this setting: decomposing divisors into prime divisors; computing pull-backs and push-forwards of divisors under finite morphisms, and hence Picard and Albanese maps on Jacobians; generating uniformly random divisors and points on Jacobians; computing Frobenius maps and Kummer maps; and finding a basis for the $l$-torsion of the Pic…
We study the existence of a Zsigmondy bound for a sequence of divisors associated to points on an elliptic curve over a function field. More precisely, let $k$ be an algebraically closed field, let $\mathcal{C}$ be a nonsingular projective curve over $k$, and let $K$ denote the function field of $\mathcal{C}$. Suppose $E$ is an ordinary elliptic curve over $K$ and suppose there does not exist an elliptic curve $E_0$ defined over $k$ that is isomorphic to $E$ over $K$. Suppose $P\in E(K)$ is a non-torsion point and $Q\in E(K)$ is a torsion point of order $r$. The sequence of points $\{nP+Q\}\su…
In this paper, we study the finiteness problem of torsion points on an elliptic curve whose coordinates satisfy some multiplicative dependence relations. In particular, we prove that on an elliptic curve defined over a number field there are only finitely many torsion points whose coordinates are multiplicatively dependent. Moreover, we produce an effective result when the elliptic curve is defined over the rational numbers or has complex multiplication.
Let E be an elliptic curve defined over Q. We study the relationship between the torsion subgroup E(Q)_tors and the torsion subgroup E(K)_tors, where K is a quadratic number field.
We outline the proof of a theorem of M. Baker and A. Tamagawa that gives a complete description of the torsion points on a modular curve embedded in its Jacobian using the notion of an `almost rational torsion point.'
Let $A$ be an elliptic curve over $\Q$ of square free conductor $N$. We prove that if $A$ has a rational torsion point of prime order $r$ such that $r$ does not divide $6N$, then $r$ divides the order of the cuspidal subgroup of $J_0(N)$.
The purpose of this paper is to give a "down--to--earth" proof of the well--known fact that a randomly chosen elliptic curve over the rationals is most likely to have trivial torsion.
We compute the arithmetic intersection numbers of certain Heegner divisors on integral models of Shimura curves over Q. Our formulas generalize the formulas of Gross-Kohnen-Zagier for intersection numbers of Heegner divisors on integral models of modular curves.
Two problems are addressed: reduction of an arbitrary degree non-special divisor to the equivalent divisor of the degree equal to genus of a curve, and addition of divisors of arbitrary degrees. The hyperelliptic case is considered as the simplest model. Explicit formulas defining reduced divisors for some particular cases are found. The reduced divisors are obtained in the form of solution of the Jacobi inversion problem which provides the way of computing Abelian functions on arbitrary non-special divisors. An effective reduction algorithm is proposed, which has the advantage that it involve…
For a discrete subgroup of an indefinite unitary group $U(1,n+1)$, $n\geq 1$, consider the attached modular variety. Using local Borcherds products, we study Heegner divisors in the local Picard group over a boundary component the compactified variety. We obtain a criterion for local Heegner divisors to be torsion elements in the local Picard group. As an application, we find that the obstructions for a local Heegner divisor to be a torsion element can be described through spaces of vector valued elliptic cusp forms spanned by certain theta-series.
We show that torsion points of certain orders are not on a theta divisor in the Jacobian variety of a hyperelliptic curve given by the equation $y^2=x^{2g+1}+x$ with $g \geq 2$. The proof employs a method of Anderson who proved an analogous result for a cyclic quotient of a Fermat curve of prime degree.
Let $ \mathfrak{C}^+_{ns}(p) $ be the Cuspidal Divisor Class Group of the modular curves $X^+_{ns}(p) $ associated to the normalizer of a non-split Cartan subgroup of level $ p$. I study the $ p-$primary part of $ \mathfrak{C}^+_{ns}(p) $ and estimate the order of growth of $ |\mathfrak{C}^+_{ns}(p)| $.
As a consequence of our recently established generalized Schmidt's subspace theorem for closed subschemes in general position, we prove a degeneracy theorem for integral points on the complement of a union of nef effective divisors. A novel aspect of our result is the attainment of a strong degeneracy conclusion (arithmetic quasi-hyperbolicity) under weak positivity assumptions on the divisors. The proof hinges on applying our recent theorem with a well-situated ample divisor realizing a certain lexicographical minimax. We also explore the connections with earlier work by other authors and mak…
In a previous joint article with F. Abu Salem, we gave efficient algorithms for Jacobian group arithmetic of "typical" divisor classes on C_{3,4} curves, improving on similar results by other authors. At that time, we could only state that a generic divisor was typical, and hence unlikely to be encountered if one implemented these algorithms over a very large finite field. This article pins down an explicit characterization of these typical divisors, for an arbitrary smooth projective curve of genus g >= 1 having at least one rational point. We give general algorithms for Jacobian group arithm…
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.
We give a formula for divisors of modular units on $X_1(N)$ and use it to prove that the $\mathbb{Q}$-gonality of the modular curve $X_1(N)$ is bounded above by $\left[\frac{11N^2}{840}\right]$, where $[\bullet]$ denotes the nearest integer.
We consider the primes which divide the denominator of the x-coordinate of a sequence of rational points on an elliptic curve. It is expected that for every sufficiently large value of the index, each term should be divisible by a primitive prime divisor, one that has not appeared in any earlier term. Proofs of this are known in only a few cases. Weaker results in the general direction are given, using a strong form of Siegel's Theorem and some congruence arguments. Our main result is applied to the study of prime divisors of Somos sequences.
In this paper, we classify torsion groups of rational Mordell curves explicitly over cubic fields as well as over sextic fields. Also, we classify torsion groups of Mordell curves over cubic fields and for Mordell curves over sextic fields, we produce all possible torsion groups.
We show that average analytic rank of elliptic curves with prescribed torsion $G$ is bounded for every torsion group $G$ under GRH for elliptic curve $L$-functions.
For those elliptic curves defined over the rational with non--trivial torsion subgroup, we find a tight relationship between the torsion subgroup itself and a Galois group naturally arising from the curve.
Let $P$ be a non-torsion point on the elliptic curve $E_{a}: y^{2}=x^{3}+ax$. We show that if $a$ is fourth-power-free and either $n>2$ is even or $n>1$ is odd with $x(P)<0$ or $x(P)$ a perfect square, then the $n$-th element of the elliptic divisibility sequence generated by $P$ always has a primitive divisor.
Using the division polynomials for elliptic curves in Weierstrass form, it shown that the group of rational points on the curve $H: ky(yy - 1) = lx(xx - 1)$ is torsion-free.
There are 26 possibilities for the torsion group of elliptic curves defined over quadratic number fields. We present examples of high rank elliptic curves with given torsion group which give the current records for most of the torsion groups. In particular, we show that for each possible torsion group, except maybe for Z/15Z, there exist an elliptic curve over some quadratic field with this torsion group and with rank >= 2.
We deal with the distributions of holomorphic curves and integral points off divisors. We will simultaneouly prove an optimal dimension estimate from above of a subvariety W off a divisor D which contains a Zariski dense entire holomorphic curve, or a Zariski dense D-integral point set, provided that in the latter case everything is defined over a number field. Then, if the number of components of D is large, the estimate leads to the constancy of such a holomorphic curve or the finiteness of such an integral point set. At the begining, we extend logarithmic Bloch-Ochiai's Theorem to the Kaehl…
I find an explicit description of modular units in terms of Siegel functions for the modular curves $X^+_{ns}(p^k)$ associated to the normalizer of a non-split Cartan subgroup of level $p^k$ where $p\not=2,3$ is a prime. The Cuspidal Divisor Class Group $\mathfrak{C}^+_{ns}(p^k)$ on $X^+_{ns}(p^k)$ is explicitly described as a module over the group ring $R = \mathbb{Z}[(\mathbb{Z}/p^k\mathbb{Z})^*/\{\pm 1\}]$. In this paper I give a formula involving generalized Bernoulli numbers $B_{2,χ}$ for $|\mathfrak{C}^+_{ns}(p^k)|$.
We find all the possible torsion groups of $\Q$-curves over quadratic fields and determine which groups appear finitely and which appear infinitely often.
We describe a simple, but effective, method for deriving families of elliptic curves, with high rank, all of whose members have the same torsion subgroup structure.
Let $K = \mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{-3})$ or $\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{-1})$ and let $C_n$ denote the cyclic group of order $n$. We study how the torsion part of an elliptic curve over $K$ grows in a quadratic extension of $K$. In the case $E(K)[2] \approx C_2 \oplus C_2$ we determine how a given torsion structure can grow in a quadratic extension and the maximum number of quadratic extensions in which it grows. We also classify the torsion structures which occur as the quadratic twist of a given torsion structure.
Let $p$ be a prime number such that the modular curve $X_0(p)$ has genus at least two. We show that the only points of the reduction mod $p$ of $X_0(p)$ with image in the reduction mod $p$ of $J_0(p)$ in the cuspidal group are the two cusps. This answers a question of Robert Coleman. For the proof we give a description of the special fibre of the Néron model of the jacobian of a semi-stable curve in terms of divisors. We also study to what extent the morphism from a semistable curve with given base point to the Néron model of its jacobian is a closed immmersion. Implicitly, logarithmic structu…
We give a complete characterization for the rational torsion of an elliptic curve in terms of the (non-)existence of integral solutions of a system of diophantine equations.
We prove asymptotic formulas for cyclicity of reductions of elliptic curves over the rationals in a family of curves having specified torsion. These results agree with established conditional results and with average results taken over larger families. As a key tool, we prove an analogue of a result of Vlăduţ that estimates the number of elliptic curves over a finite field with a specified torsion point and cyclic group structure.
There is a modular curve X'(6) of level 6 defined over Q whose Q-rational points correspond to j-invariants of elliptic curves E over Q for which Q(E[2]) is a subfield of Q(E[3]). In this note we characterize the j-invariants of elliptic curves with this property by exhibiting an explicit model of X'(6). Our motivation is two-fold: on the one hand, X'(6) belongs to the list of modular curves which parametrize non-Serre curves (and is not well-known), and on the other hand, X'(6)(Q) gives an infinite family of examples of elliptic curves with non-abelian "entanglement fields," which is relevant…
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 $C$.
In a previous paper, the author examined the possible torsions of an elliptic curve over the quadratic fields $\mathbb Q(i)$ and $\mathbb Q(\sqrt{-3})$. Although all the possible torsions were found if the elliptic curve has rational coefficients, we were unable to eliminate some possibilities for the torsion if the elliptic curve has coefficients that are not rational. In this note, by finding all the points of two hyperelliptic curves over $\mathbb Q(i)$ and $\mathbb Q(\sqrt{-3})$, we solve this problem completely and thus obtain a classification of all possible torsions of elliptic curves o…
A new characterization of rational torsion subgroups of elliptic curves is found, for points of order greater than 4, through the existence of solution for systems of Thue equations.
In this paper, we present several methods for construction of elliptic curves with large torsion group and positive rank over number fields of small degree. We also discuss potential applications of such curves in the elliptic curve factorization method (ECM).
We classify the possible torsion structures of rational elliptic curves over cubic fields. Along the way we find a previously unknown torsion structure over a cubic field, $\Z /21 \Z$, which corresponds to a sporadic point on $X_1(21)$ of degree 3, which is the lowest possible degree of a sporadic point on a modular curve $X_1(n)$.
We prove that the family $\mathcal{I}_{F_0}$ of elliptic curves over number fields that are geometrically isogenous to an elliptic curve with $F_0$-rational $j$-invariant is typically bounded in torsion. Under an additional uniformity assumption, we also prove that the family $\mathcal{I}_{d_0}$ of elliptic curves over number fields that are geometrically isogenous to an elliptic curve with degree $d_0$ $j$-invariant is typically bounded in torsion.
We present a criterion for proving that certain groups of the form $\mathbb Z/m\mathbb Z\oplus\mathbb Z/n\mathbb Z$ do not occur as the torsion subgroup of any elliptic curve over suitable (families of) number fields. We apply this criterion to eliminate certain groups as torsion groups of elliptic curves over cubic and quartic fields. We also use this criterion to give the list of all torsion groups of elliptic curves occurring over a specific cubic field and over a specific quartic field.
Let $K = \mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{-3})$ or $\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{-1})$ and let $C_n$ denote the cyclic group of order $n$. We study how the torsion part of an elliptic curve over $K$ grows in a quadratic extension of $K$. In the case $E(K)[2] \approx C_1$ we investigate how a given torsion structure can grow in a quadratic extension and the maximum number of extensions in which it grows. We also study the torsion structures which occur as the quadratic twist of a given torsion structure. In order to achieve this we examine $N$-isogenies defined over $K$ for $N=15,20,21,24,27,30,35$.
This is the third part of a series of papers discussing the cyclic torsion subgroup of elliptic curves over cubic number fields. For $N=39$, we show that $\mathbb{Z}/N\mathbb{Z}$ is not a subgroup of $E(K)_{tor}$ for any elliptic curve $E$ over a cubic number field $K$.
We prove several results on torsion points and Galois representations for complex multiplication (CM) elliptic curves over a number field containing the CM field. One result computes the degree in which such an elliptic curve has a rational point of order $N$, refining results of Silverberg. Another result bounds the size of the torsion subgroup of an elliptic curve with CM by a nonmaximal order in terms of the torsion subgroup of an elliptic curve with CM by the maximal order. Our techniques also yield a complete classification of both the possible torsion subgroups and the rational cyclic is…
