Carmichael numbers in number rings

We generalize Carmichael numbers to ideals in number rings and prove a generalization of Korselt's Criterion for these Carmichael ideals. We investigate when Carmichael numbers in the integers generate Carmichael ideals in the algebraic integers of abelian number fields. In particular, we show that given any composite integer n, there exist infinitely many quadratic number fields in which n is not Carmichael. Finally, we show that there are infinitely many abelian number fields K with discriminant relatively prime to n such that n is not Carmichael in K.     

A family of quintic cyclic fields with even class number parameterized by rational points on an elliptic curve

We give a family of quintic cyclic fields with even class number parametrized by rational points on an elliptic curve associated with Emma Lehmer's quintic polynomial. Further, we use the arithmetic of elliptic curves and the Chebotarev density theorem to show that there are infinitely many such fields.     

Disjoint empty convex pentagons in planar point sets

In this paper we obtain the first non-trivial lower bound on the number of disjoint empty convex pentagons in planar points sets. We show that the number of disjoint empty convex pentagons in any set of n points in the plane, no three on a line, is at least $\left\lfloor {\tfrac{{5n}} {{47}}} \right\rfloor $ . This bound can be further improved to $\tfrac{{3n - 1}} {{28}} $ for infinitely many n.     

n-Tuples of positive integers with the same second elementary symmetric function value and the same product

In this paper, by using the theory of elliptic curves, we prove that for every k, there exist infinitely many primitive sets of k n-tuples of positive integers with the same second elementary symmetric function value and the same product.     

A note on the Mordell-Weil rank modulo n

Conjecturally, the parity of the Mordell-Weil rank of an elliptic curve over a number field K is determined by its root number. The root number is a product of local root numbers, so the rank modulo 2 is (conjecturally) the sum over all places of K of a function of elliptic curves over local fields. This note shows that there can be no analogue for the rank modulo 3, 4 or 5, or for the rank itself. In fact, standard conjectures for elliptic curves imply that there is no analogue modulo n for any n>2, so this is purely a parity phenomenon.     

Embedding a Latin square with transversal into a projective space

A Latin square of side n defines in a natural way a finite geometry on 3n points, with three lines of size n and n² lines of size 3. A Latin square of side n with a transversal similarly defines a finite geometry on 3n+1 points, with three lines of size n, n²−n lines of size 3, and n concurrent lines of size 4. A collection of k mutually orthogonal Latin squares defines a geometry on kn points, with k lines of size n and n² lines of size k. Extending the work of Bruen and Colbourn [A.A. Bruen, C.J. Colbourn, Transversal designs in classical planes and spaces, J. Combin. Theory Ser. A 92 (2000) 88-94], we characterise embeddings of these finite geometries into projective spaces over skew fields.     

Constructing one-parameter families of elliptic curves with moderate rank

We give several new constructions for moderate rank elliptic curves over Q(T). In particular we construct infinitely many rational elliptic surfaces (not in Weierstrass form) of rank 6 over Q using polynomials of degree two in T. While our method generates linearly independent points, we are able to show the rank is exactly 6 without having to verify the points are independent. The method generalizes; however, the higher rank surfaces are not rational, and we need to check that the constructed points are linearly independent.     

Characterization and algorithms of curve map graphs

A curve map is a planar map obtained by dividing the Euclidean plane into a finite number of regions by a finite set of two-way infinite Jordan curves (every one dividing the plane in two regions) such that no two curves intersect in more than one point. A line map is a curve map obtained by Jordan curves being all straight lines. A graph is called a curve map graph respectively a line map graph if it is the dual of a curve map respectively of a line map.In this paper we give a characterization of the curve map graphs and we describe a polynomial time algorithm for their recognition.     

On some questions related to the Gauss conjecture for function fields

We show that, for any finite field Fq, there exist infinitely many real quadratic function fields over Fq such that the numerator of their zeta function is a separable polynomial. As pointed out by Anglès, this is a necessary condition for the existence, for any finite field Fq, of infinitely many real function fields over Fq with ideal class number one (the so-called Gauss conjecture for function fields). We also show conditionally the existence of infinitely many real quadratic function fields over Fq such that the numerator of their zeta function is an irreducible polynomial.     

Straight line arrangements in the real projective plane

Let A be an arrangement of n pseudolines in the real projective plane and let p ₃(A) be the number of triangles of A. Grünbaum has proposed the following question. Are there infinitely many simple arrangements of straight lines with p ₃(A)=1/3n(n?1)? In this paper we answer this question affirmatively.     

Lattices from elliptic curves over finite fields

In their well known book [6] Tsfasman and Vladut introduced a construction of a family of function field lattices from algebraic curves over finite fields, which have asymptotically good packing density in high dimensions. In this paper we study geometric properties of lattices from this construction applied to elliptic curves. In particular, we determine the generating sets, conditions for well-roundedness and a formula for the number of minimal vectors. We also prove a bound on the covering radii of these lattices, which improves on the standard inequalities.     

On the complement of the set of n-collinear points in PG(3, n)

Let ${S = (\mathcal{P}, \mathcal{L}, \mathcal{H})}$ be the finite planar space obtained from the 3-dimensional projective space PG(3, n) of order n by deleting a set of n-collinear points. Then, for every point ${p\in S}$ , the quotient geometry S/p is either a projective plane or a punctured projective plane, and every line of S has size n or n + 1. In this paper, we prove that a finite planar space with lines of size n + 1 ? s and n + 1, (s ≥ 1), and such that for every point ${p\in S}$ , the quotient geometry S/p is either a projective plane of order n or a punctured projective plane of order n, is obtained from PG(3, n) by deleting either a point, or a line or a set of n-collinear points.     

Eine endliche Formel für die Anzahl der Teiler von n

The number d(n) of positive divisors of a natural number n is known to exceed infinitely often any power of log n, but to be of lesser order of magnitude than any power of n with fixed positive exponent. A new finite formula for d(n) in terms of the Bernoulli numbers may be used to better analyze its fluctuating behavior.     

Cyclic isogenies and nonstandard arithmetic

For a prime N we denote by X₀(N)(K) the set of K-rational points on the modul curve of elliptic curves with isogenies of degree N. We formulate arithmetical axioms for number fields K that imply finiteness properties of X₀(N)(K). To prove the results we use the nonstandard version of the Siegel-Mahler theorem (A. Robinson and P. Roquette, J. Number Theory7 (1975), 121–176) and the nonstandard interpretation of a sum formula derived from the local heights on elliptic curves.     

Hasse invariants and anomalous primes for elliptic curves with complex multiplication

Let C be an elliptic curve defined over Q. Let p be a prime where C has good reduction. By definition, p is anomalous for C if the Hasse invariant at p is congruent to 1 modulo p. The phenomenon of anomalous primes has been shown by Mazur to be of great interest in the study of rational points in towers of number fields. This paper is devoted to discussing the Hasse invariants and the anomalous primes of elliptic curves admitting complex multiplication. The two special cases Y² = X³ + a₄X and Y² = X³ + a₆ are studied at considerable length. As corollaries, some results in elementary number theory concerning the residue classes of the binomial coefficients (_n²ⁿ) (Resp. (_n³ⁿ)) modulo a prime p = 4n + 1 (resp. p = 6n + 1) are obtained. It is shown that certain classes of elliptic curves admitting complex multiplication do not have any anomalous primes and that others admit only very few anomalous primes.     

Regular Hjelmslev planes

A projective Hjelmslev plane is called regular iff it admits an Abelian collineation group that is regular on both the points and lines of the plane and that splits into a summand regular on the elements of any given neighborhood and another summand permuting the points and lines of the projective image plane regularly. Regular Hjelmslev planes are shown to correspond to so-called special difference sets. We construct regular Hjelmslev planes with parameters (qⁿ, q) for any prime power q and any natural number n as well as for infinitely many series of parameters (t, q), where t is not a power of q. Our construction also yields series of parameters for which the existence of a Hjelmslev plane was not known up to now as well as the first information on the existence of nontrivial collineations in the case of parameters (t, q) with t not a power of q.     

Exponential sums over definable subsets of finite fields

We prove some general estimates for exponential sums over subsets of finite fields which are definable in the language of rings. This generalizes both the classical exponential sum estimates of varieties of finite fields due to Weil, Deligne and others, and the result of Chatzidakis, van den Dries and Macintyre concerning the number of points of those definable sets. As a first application, there is no formula in the language of rings that defines for infinitely many primes an “interval” in Z/p Z that is neither bounded nor with bounded complement.     

The number of irreducible polynomials over finite fields of characteristic 2 with given trace and subtrace

In this paper we obtained the formula for the number of irreducible polynomials with degree n over finite fields of characteristic two with given trace and subtrace. This formula is a generalization of the result of Cattell et al. (2003) [2].     

Symmetric Gobos in a finite projective plane

A gobo G in any incidence structure K is a (perhaps degenerate) tactical configuration having the property that no three points in G are collinear and no three lines in G are concurrent. General results are obtained where K is a finite projective plane of order n and G has k points and k lines such that each point (line) lies on r lines (points) of G. Particular attention is called to the contrast between the case r = 1 and the case r ≠ 1 when k = n.