Let E be an elliptic curve defined over $\mathbb {Q}$ with good ordinary reduction at a prime $p\geq 5$ and let F be an imaginary quadratic field. Under appropriate assumptions, we show that the Pontryagin dual of the fine Mordell–Weil group of E over the $\mathbb {Z}_{p}^2$-extension of F is pseudo-null as a module over the Iwasawa algebra of the group $\mathbb {Z}_{p}^2$.

Let $E/\mathbb {Q}(T)$ be a nonisotrivial elliptic curve of rank r. A theorem due to Silverman [‘Heights and the specialization map for families of abelian varieties’, J. reine angew. Math. 342 (1983), 197–211] implies that the rank $r_t$ of the specialisation $E_t/\mathbb {Q}$ is at least r for all but finitely many $t \in \mathbb {Q}$. Moreover, it is conjectured that $r_t \leq r+2$, except for a set of density $0$. When $E/\mathbb {Q}(T)$ has a torsion point of order $2$, under an assumption on the discriminant of a Weierstrass equation for $E/\mathbb {Q}(T)$, we produce an upper bound for $r_t$ that is valid for infinitely many t. We also present two examples of nonisotrivial elliptic curves $E/\mathbb {Q}(T)$ such that $r_t \leq r+1$ for infinitely many t.

For a prime p and a rational elliptic curve $E_{/\mathbb {Q}}$, set $K=\mathbb {Q}(E[p])$ to denote the torsion field generated by $E[p]:=\operatorname {ker}\{E\xrightarrow {p} E\}$. The class group $\operatorname {Cl}_K$ is a module over $\operatorname {Gal}(K/\mathbb {Q})$. Given a fixed odd prime number p, we study the average nonvanishing of certain Galois stable quotients of the mod-p class group $\operatorname {Cl}_K/p\operatorname {Cl}_K$. Here, E varies over all rational elliptic curves, ordered according to height. Our results are conditional, since we assume that the p-primary part of the Tate–Shafarevich group is finite. Furthermore, we assume predictions made by Delaunay for the statistical variation of the p-primary parts of Tate–Shafarevich groups. We also prove results in the case when the elliptic curve $E_{/\mathbb {Q}}$ is fixed and the prime p is allowed to vary.

Ishitsuka et al. [‘Explicit calculation of the mod 4 Galois representation associated with the Fermat quartic’, Int. J. Number Theory 16(4) (2020), 881–905] found all points on the Fermat quartic ${F_4\colon x^4+y^4=z^4}$ over quadratic extensions of ${\mathbb {Q}}(\zeta _8)$, where $\zeta _8$ is the eighth primitive root of unity $e^{i\pi /4}$. Using Mordell’s technique, we give an alternative proof for the result of Ishitsuka et al. and extend it to the rational function field ${\mathbb {Q}}({\zeta _8})(T_1,T_2,\ldots ,T_n)$.

We present a new version of a generalisation to elliptic nets of a theorem of Ward [‘Memoir on elliptic divisibility sequences’, Amer. J. Math. 70 (1948), 31–74] on symmetry of elliptic divisibility sequences. Our results cover all that is known today.

We show that if F is $\mathbb{Q}$ or a multiquadratic number field, $p\in\left\{{2,3,5}\right\}$, and $K/F$ is a Galois extension of degree a power of p, then for elliptic curves $E/\mathbb{Q}$ ordered by height, the average dimension of the p-Selmer groups of $E/K$ is bounded. In particular, this provides a bound for the average K-rank of elliptic curves $E/\mathbb{Q}$ for such K. Additionally, we give bounds for certain representation–theoretic invariants of Mordell–Weil groups over Galois extensions of such F.

The central result is that: for each finite Galois extension $K/F$ of number fields and prime number p, as $E/\mathbb{Q}$ varies, the difference in dimension between the Galois fixed space in the p-Selmer group of $E/K$ and the p-Selmer group of $E/F$ has bounded average.

For an elliptic curve E defined over a number field K and $L/K$ a Galois extension, we study the possibilities of the Galois group Gal$(L/K)$, when the Mordell–Weil rank of $E(L)$ increases from that of $E(K)$ by a small amount (namely 1, 2, and 3). In relation with the vanishing of corresponding L-functions at $s=1$, we prove several elliptic analogues of classical theorems related to Artin’s holomorphy conjecture. We then apply these to study the analytic minimal subfield, first introduced by Akbary and Murty, for the case when order of vanishing is 2. We also investigate how the order of vanishing changes as rank increases by 1 and vice versa, generalizing a theorem of Kolyvagin.

For N integer $\ge 1$, K. Murty and D. Ramakrishnan defined the Nth Heisenberg curve, as the compactified quotient $X^{\prime }_N$ of the upper half-plane by a certain non-congruence subgroup of the modular group. They ask whether the Manin–Drinfeld principle holds, namely, if the divisors supported on the cusps of those curves are torsion in the Jacobian. We give a model over $\mathbf {Z}[\mu _N,1/N]$ of the Nth Heisenberg curve as covering of the Nth Fermat curve. We show that the Manin–Drinfeld principle holds for $N=3$, but not for $N=5$. We show that the description by generator and relations due to Rohrlich of the cuspidal subgroup of the Fermat curve is explained by the Heisenberg covering, together with a higher covering of a similar nature. The curves $X_N$ and the classical modular curves $X(n)$, for n even integer, both dominate $X(2)$, which produces a morphism between Jacobians $J_N\rightarrow J(n)$. We prove that the latter has image $0$ or an elliptic curve of j-invariant $0$. In passing, we give a description of the homology of $X^{\prime }_{N}$.

Let $U$ be a smooth affine curve over a number field $K$ with a compactification $X$ and let ${\mathbb {L}}$ be a rank $2$, geometrically irreducible lisse $\overline {{\mathbb {Q}}}_\ell$-sheaf on $U$ with cyclotomic determinant that extends to an integral model, has Frobenius traces all in some fixed number field $E\subset \overline {\mathbb {Q}}_{\ell }$, and has bad, infinite reduction at some closed point $x$ of $X\setminus U$. We show that ${\mathbb {L}}$ occurs as a summand of the cohomology of a family of abelian varieties over $U$. The argument follows the structure of the proof of a recent theorem of Snowden and Tsimerman, who show that when $E=\mathbb {Q}$, then ${\mathbb {L}}$ is isomorphic to the cohomology of an elliptic curve $E_U\rightarrow U$.

In this note, we prove a formula for the cancellation exponent $k_{v,n}$ between division polynomials $\psi _n$ and $\phi _n$ associated with a sequence $\{nP\}_{n\in \mathbb {N}}$ of points on an elliptic curve $E$ defined over a discrete valuation field $K$. The formula greatly generalizes the previously known special cases and treats also the case of non-standard Kodaira types for non-perfect residue fields.

Bogomolov and Tschinkel [‘Algebraic varieties over small fields’, Diophantine Geometry, U. Zannier (ed.), CRM Series, 4 (Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa, Pisa, 2007), 73–91] proved that, given two complex elliptic curves $E_1$ and $E_2$ along with even degree-$2$ maps $\pi _j\colon E_j\to \mathbb {P}^1$ having different branch loci, the intersection of the image of the torsion points of $E_1$ and $E_2$ under their respective $\pi _j$ is finite. They conjectured (also in works with Fu) that the cardinality of this intersection is uniformly bounded independently of the elliptic curves. The recent proof of the uniform Manin–Mumford conjecture implies a full solution of the Bogomolov–Fu–Tschinkel conjecture. In this paper, we prove a generalisation of the Bogomolov–Fu–Tschinkel conjecture whereby, instead of even degree-$2$ maps, one can use any rational functions of bounded degree on the elliptic curves as long as they have different branch loci. Our approach combines Nevanlinna theory with the uniform Manin–Mumford conjecture. With similar techniques, we also prove a result on lower bounds for ranks of elliptic curves over number fields.

This paper is concerned with the study of the fine Selmer group of an abelian variety over a $\mathbb{Z}_{p}$-extension which is not necessarily cyclotomic. It has been conjectured that these fine Selmer groups are always torsion over $\mathbb{Z}_{p}[[ \Gamma ]]$, where $\Gamma$ is the Galois group of the $\mathbb{Z}_{p}$-extension in question. In this paper, we shall provide several strong evidences towards this conjecture. Namely, we show that the conjectural torsionness is consistent with the pseudo-nullity conjecture of Coates–Sujatha. We also show that if the conjecture is known for the cyclotomic $\mathbb{Z}_{p}$-extension, then it holds for almost all $\mathbb{Z}_{p}$-extensions. We then carry out a similar study for the fine Selmer group of an elliptic modular form. When the modular forms are ordinary and come from a Hida family, we relate the torsionness of the fine Selmer groups of the specialization. This latter result allows us to show that the conjectural torsionness in certain cases is consistent with the growth number conjecture of Mazur. Finally, we end with some speculations on the torsionness of fine Selmer groups over an arbitrary p-adic Lie extension.

Let p be a prime. In this paper, we use techniques from Iwasawa theory to study questions about rank jump of elliptic curves in cyclic extensions of degree p. We also study growth of the p-primary Selmer group and the Shafarevich–Tate group in cyclic degree-p extensions and improve upon previously known results in this direction.

We present a Mordell–Weil sieve that can be used to compute points on certain bielliptic modular curves $X_0(N)$ over fixed quadratic fields. We study $X_0(N)(\mathbb {Q}(\sqrt {d}))$ for $N \in \{ 53,61,65,79,83,89,101,131 \}$ and ${\lvert d \rvert < 100}$.

For a nonconstant elliptic surface over $\mathbb {P}^1$ defined over $\mathbb {Q}$, it is a result of Silverman [‘Heights and the specialization map for families of abelian varieties’, J. reine angew. Math. 342 (1983), 197–211] that the Mordell–Weil rank of the fibres is at least the rank of the group of sections, up to finitely many fibres. If the elliptic surface is nonisotrivial, one expects that this bound is an equality for infinitely many fibres, although no example is known unconditionally. Under the Bunyakovsky conjecture, such an example has been constructed by Neumann [‘Elliptische Kurven mit vorgeschriebenem Reduktionsverhalten. I’, Math. Nachr. 49 (1971), 107–123] and Setzer [‘Elliptic curves of prime conductor’, J. Lond. Math. Soc. (2) 10 (1975), 367–378]. In this note, we show that the Legendre elliptic surface has the desired property, conditional on the existence of infinitely many Mersenne primes.

For each prime p, we show that there exist geometrically simple abelian varieties A over ${\mathbb Q}$ with . Specifically, for any prime $N\equiv 1 \ \pmod p$ , let $A_f$ be an optimal quotient of $J_0(N)$ with a rational point P of order p, and let $B = A_f/\langle P \rangle $ . Then the number of positive integers $d \leq X$ with is $ \gg X/\log X$ , where $\widehat B_d$ is the dual of the dth quadratic twist of B. We prove this more generally for abelian varieties of $\operatorname {\mathrm {GL}}_2$ -type with a p-isogeny satisfying a mild technical condition. In the special case of elliptic curves, we give stronger results, including many examples where for an explicit positive proportion of integers d.

Let $p$ be a prime number. Kęstutis Česnavičius proved that for an abelian variety $A$ over a global field $K$, the $p$-Selmer group $\mathrm {Sel}_{p}(A/L)$ grows unboundedly when $L$ ranges over the $(\mathbb {Z}/p\mathbb {Z})$-extensions of $K$. Moreover, he raised a further problem: is $\dim _{\mathbb {F}_{p}} \text{III} (A/L) [p]$ also unbounded under the above conditions? In this paper, we give a positive answer to this problem in the case $p \neq \mathrm {char}\,K$. As an application, this result enables us to generalize the work of Clark, Sharif and Creutz on the growth of potential $\text{III}$ in cyclic extensions. We also answer a problem proposed by Lim and Murty concerning the growth of the fine Tate–Shafarevich groups.

Given a singular modulus $j_0$ and a set of rational primes S, we study the problem of effectively determining the set of singular moduli j such that $j-j_0$ is an S-unit. For every $j_0 \neq 0$ , we provide an effective way of finding this set for infinitely many choices of S. The same is true if $j_0=0$ and we assume the Generalised Riemann Hypothesis. Certain numerical experiments will also lead to the formulation of a “uniformity conjecture” for singular S-units.

Let E be an elliptic curve with positive rank over a number field K and let p be an odd prime number. Let $K_{\operatorname {cyc}}$ be the cyclotomic $\mathbb {Z}_p$ -extension of K and $K_n$ its nth layer. The Mordell–Weil rank of E is said to be constant in the cyclotomic tower of K if for all n, the rank of $E(K_n)$ is equal to the rank of $E(K)$ . We apply techniques in Iwasawa theory to obtain explicit conditions for the rank of an elliptic curve to be constant in this sense. We then indicate the potential applications to Hilbert’s tenth problem for number rings.

We discuss the $\ell $ -adic case of Mazur’s ‘Program B’ over $\mathbb {Q}$ : the problem of classifying the possible images of $\ell $ -adic Galois representations attached to elliptic curves E over $\mathbb {Q}$ , equivalently, classifying the rational points on the corresponding modular curves. The primes $\ell =2$ and $\ell \ge 13$ are addressed by prior work, so we focus on the remaining primes $\ell = 3, 5, 7, 11$ . For each of these $\ell $ , we compute the directed graph of arithmetically maximal $\ell $ -power level modular curves $X_H$ , compute explicit equations for all but three of them and classify the rational points on all of them except $X_{\mathrm {ns}}^{+}(N)$ , for $N = 27, 25, 49, 121$ and two-level $49$ curves of genus $9$ whose Jacobians have analytic rank $9$ .

Aside from the $\ell $ -adic images that are known to arise for infinitely many ${\overline {\mathbb {Q}}}$ -isomorphism classes of elliptic curves $E/\mathbb {Q}$ , we find only 22 exceptional images that arise for any prime $\ell $ and any $E/\mathbb {Q}$ without complex multiplication; these exceptional images are realised by 20 non-CM rational j-invariants. We conjecture that this list of 22 exceptional images is complete and show that any counterexamples must arise from unexpected rational points on $X_{\mathrm {ns}}^+(\ell )$ with $\ell \ge 19$ , or one of the six modular curves noted above. This yields a very efficient algorithm to compute the $\ell $ -adic images of Galois for any elliptic curve over $\mathbb {Q}$ .

In an appendix with John Voight, we generalise Ribet’s observation that simple abelian varieties attached to newforms on $\Gamma _1(N)$ are of $\operatorname {GL}_2$ -type; this extends Kolyvagin’s theorem that analytic rank zero implies algebraic rank zero to isogeny factors of the Jacobian of $X_H$ .