Elliptic curves associated with simplest quartic fields (Q2642756): Difference between revisions

The ``simplest quartic fields'' are a one-parameter family of quartic number fields obtained by adjoining to \({\mathbb Q}\) a root of \[ f_t(X)=X^4 -tX^3 -6tX^2 +tX+1 \] where \(16+t^2\) is not divisible by an odd square. The elliptic curves associated with these fields are \[ Q_t :\;Y^2 = f_t(X), \] which can be transformed into Weierstrass form \[ C_t :\;y^2 = x^3 -(16+t^2)x. \] It is well known that \((0,0)\) is the only torsion point of \(C_t({\mathbb Q})\). Using a computer algebra system, the author calculated the Mordell-Weil group and the integral points for many values of \(t\). He proves many of his observations as theorems for all \(t\). Modulo the conjecture of Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer he shows that the parity of the rank only depends on the congruence class of \(t\) modulo \(16\). He also shows that the point \((-4,2t)\) on \(C_t\) can always be taken as one of a system of generators. In particular, the rank is always positive. Moreover, it is shown that for rank \(1\) the only integral points on \(Q_t\) are \((0,1)\) and \((0,-1)\). Similar results are obtained for a subfamily of rank at least \(2\). The main tool are height calculations. The approach is a refinement of the author's treatment of the elliptic curves associated with the simplest cubic fields [Exp. Math. 10, 91--102 (2001; Zbl 0983.11031)].