Exhibiting SHA[2] on hyperelliptic Jacobians

We discuss approaches to computing in the Shafarevich-Tate group of Jacobians of higher genus curves, with an emphasis on the theory and practice of visualisation. Especially for hyperelliptic curves, this often enables the computation of ranks of Jacobians, even when the 2-Selmer bound does not bound the rank sharply. This was previously only possible for a few special cases. For curves of genus 2, we also demonstrate a connection with degree 4 del Pezzo surfaces, and show how the Brauer-Manin obstruction on these surfaces can be used to compute members of the Shafarevich-Tate group of Jacobians. We derive an explicit parametrised infinite family of genus 2 curves whose Jacobians have nontrivial members of the Shafarevich-Tate group. Finally, we prove that under certain conditions, the visualisation dimension for order 2 cocycles of Jacobians of certain genus 2 curves is 4 rather than the general bound of 32.     

Rational torsion of J0(N) for hyperelliptic modular curves and families of Jacobians of genus 2 and genus 3 curves with a rational point of order 5,7 or 10

We describe a way of constructing Jacobians of hyperelliptic curves of genus g ≥ 2, defined over a number field, whose Jacobians have a rational point of order of some (well chosen) integer l ≥ g + 1; the method is based on a polynomial identity. Using this approach we construct new families of genus 2 curves defined over — which contain the modular curves X₀(31) (and X₀(22) as a by-product) and X₀(29), the Jacobians of which have a rational point of order 5 and 7 respectively. We also construct a new family of hyperelliptic genus 3 curves defined over —, which contains the modular curve X₀(41), the Jacobians of which have a rational point of order 10. Finally we show that all hyperelliptic modular curves X₀(N) with N a prime number fit into the described strategy, except for N = 37 in which case we give another explanation. The authors thank the FNR (project FNR/04/MA6/11) for their support.     

Pesenti-Szpiro inequality for optimal elliptic curves

We study Pesenti-Szpiro inequality in the case of elliptic curves over F_q(t) which occur as subvarieties of Jacobian varieties of Drinfeld modular curves. In general, we obtain an upper-bound on the degrees of minimal discriminants of such elliptic curves in terms of the degrees of their conductors and q. In the special case when the level is prime, we bound the degrees of discriminants only in terms of the degrees of conductors. As a preliminary step in the proof of this latter result we generalize a construction (due to Gekeler and Reversat) of 1-dimensional optimal quotients of Drinfeld Jacobians.     

On the torsion of Jacobians of principal modular curves of level 3<Superscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis></Superscript>

We demonstrate that the 3-power torsion points of the Jacobians of the principal modular curves X(3ⁿ) are fixed by the kernel of the canonical outer Galois representation of the pro-3 fundamental group of the projective line minus three points. The proof proceeds by demonstrating the curves in question satisfy a two-part criterion given by Anderson and Ihara. Two proofs of the second part of the criterion are provided; the first relies on a theorem of Shimura, while the second uses the moduli interpretation. Received: 30 September 2005     

Abelian subvarieties of Drinfeld Jacobians and congruences modulo the characteristic

We relate the existence of Frobenius morphisms into the Jacobians of Drinfeld modular curves to the existence of congruences between cusp forms.     

Computing the Selmer group of an isogeny between Abelian varieties using a further isogeny to a Jacobian

This article describes an algorithm for computing the Selmer group of an isogeny between abelian varieties. This algorithm applies when there is an isogeny from the image abelian variety to the Jacobian of a curve. The use of an auxiliary Jacobian simplifies the determination of locally trivial cohomology classes. An example is presented where the rational solutions to x⁴+(y²+1)(x+y)=0 are determined.     

Groups of <Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis>-Units and the Problem of Periodicity of Continued Fractions in Hyperelliptic Fields

We construct a theory of periodic and quasiperiodic functional continued fractions in the field k((h)) for a linear polynomial h and in hyperelliptic fields. In addition, we establish a relationship between continued fractions in hyperelliptic fields, torsion in the Jacobians of the corresponding hyperelliptic curves, and S-units for appropriate sets S. We prove the periodicity of quasiperiodic elements of the form \(\sqrt f /d{h^s}\), where s is an integer, the polynomial f defines a hyperelliptic field, and the polynomial d is a divisor of f; such elements are important from the viewpoint of the torsion and periodicity problems. In particular, we show that the quasiperiodic element \(\sqrt f \) is periodic. We also analyze the continued fraction expansion of the key element \(\sqrt f /{h^{g + 1}}\), which defines the set of quasiperiodic elements of a hyperelliptic field.     

On the cuspidal modular forms for the Fuchsian groups of the first kind

In this paper we study the construction and non-vanishing of cuspidal modular forms of weight m?3 for arbitrary Fuchsian groups of the first kind. We give a spanning set for the space of cuspidal modular forms Sm(Γ) of weight m?3 in a uniform way which does not depend on the fact that Γ has cusps or not.     

Multiplicities of modp Galois representations

We study the multiplicity with which 2-dimensional modp Galois representations occur in Jacobians of modular curves.     

Counting hyperelliptic curves

We find a closed formula for the number hyp(g) of hyperelliptic curves of genus g over a finite field k=Fq of odd characteristic. These numbers hyp(g) are expressed as a polynomial in q with integer coefficients that depend on g and the set of divisors of q−1 and q+1. As a by-product we obtain a closed formula for the number of self-dual curves of genus g. A hyperelliptic curve is defined to be self-dual if it is k-isomorphic to its own hyperelliptic twist.     

Cyclotomic torsion on Fermat Jacobians

We prove that the torsion part of the Mordell–Weil group of the Jacobian of a Fermat curve over a cyclotomic field is contained in the kernel of a certain isogeny. This provides a natural analogue of a similar result on Jacobians of Fermat quotient curves.     

Defining equations of modular curves

We obtain defining equations of modular curves X₀(N), X₁(N), and X(N) by explicitly constructing modular functions using generalized Dedekind eta functions. As applications, we describe a method of obtaining a basis for the space of cusp forms of weight 2 on a congruence subgroup. We also use our model of X₀(37) to find explicit modular parameterization of rational elliptic curves of conductor 37.     

The Extended Euclidian Algorithm on Polynomials, and the Computational Efficiency of Hyperelliptic Cryptosystems

After generalising two reduction algorithms tocharacteristic 2, we analyse the average complexity of thearithmetic in hyperelliptic Jacobians over any finite field.To this purpose we determine the exact average number offield operations for computing the greatest common divisor ofpolynomials over a finite field by the extended Euclidianalgorithm.     

Hyperelliptic curves of genus three over finite fields of even characteristic

In this paper we classify hyperelliptic curves of genus 3 defined over a finite field k of even characteristic. We consider rational models representing all k-isomorphy classes of curves with a given arithmetic structure for the ramification divisor and we find necessary and sufficient conditions for two models of the same type to be k-isomorphic. Also, we compute the automorphism group of each curve and an explicit formula for the total number of curves.     

Multiplicities of mod p Galois representations

We study the multiplicity with which 2-dimensional mod p Galois representations occur in Jacobians of modular curves. Received: 26 February 1997 / Revised version: 2 July 1997     

On plane models for Drinfeld modular curves

In this work, we find plane models for certain Drinfeld modular curves X₀(n) which have better properties than the plane models derived from the usual Drinfeld modular equations. As an application, we construct ring class fields over imaginary quadratic fields by using singular values of generators of the function field of X₀(n).     

Arithmetic equivalence for function fields, the Goss zeta function and a generalisation

A theorem of Tate and Turner says that global function fields have the same zeta function if and only if the Jacobians of the corresponding curves are isogenous. In this note, we investigate what happens if we replace the usual (characteristic zero) zeta function by the positive characteristic zeta function introduced by Goss. We prove that for function fields whose characteristic exceeds their degree, equality of the Goss zeta function is the same as Gaßmann equivalence (a purely group theoretical property), but this statement can fail if the degree exceeds the characteristic. We introduce a ‘Teichmüller lift’ of the Goss zeta function and show that equality of such is always the same as Gaßmann equivalence.     

The p-rank strata of the moduli space of hyperelliptic curves

We prove results about the intersection of the p-rank strata and the boundary of the moduli space of hyperelliptic curves in characteristic p?3. This yields a strong technique that allows us to analyze the stratum of hyperelliptic curves of genus g and p-rank f. Using this, we prove that the endomorphism ring of the Jacobian of a generic hyperelliptic curve of genus g and p-rank f is isomorphic to Z if g?4. Furthermore, we prove that the Z/?-monodromy of every irreducible component of is the symplectic group Sp2g(Z/?) if g?3, and ?≠p is an odd prime (with mild hypotheses on ? when f=0). These results yield numerous applications about the generic behavior of hyperelliptic curves of given genus and p-rank over finite fields, including applications about Newton polygons, absolutely simple Jacobians, class groups and zeta functions.     

On a theorem of Coleman

A simplified method of descent via isogeny is given for Jacobians of curves of genus 2. This method is then used to give applications of a theorem of Coleman for computing all the rational points on certain curves of genus 2.     

Application of covering techniques to families of curves

Much success in finding rational points on curves has been obtained by using Chabauty's Theorem, which applies when the genus of a curve is greater than the rank of the Mordell-Weil group of the Jacobian. When Chabauty's Theorem does not directly apply to a curve , a recent modification has been to cover the rational points on by those on a covering collection of curves , obtained by pullbacks along an isogeny to the Jacobian; one then hopes that Chabauty's Theorem applies to each . So far, this latter technique has been applied to isolated examples. We apply, for the first time, certain covering techniques to infinite families of curves. We find an infinite family of curves to which Chabauty's Theorem is not applicable, but which can be solved using bielliptic covers, and other infinite families of curves which even resist solution by bielliptic covers. A fringe benefit is an infinite family of Abelian surfaces with non-trivial elements of the Tate-Shafarevich group killed by a bielliptic isogeny.