Periods of rational maps modulo primes (Q1938071): Difference between revisions

The following is a slightly simplified version of the main theorem of this paper. { Theorem.} Let \(K\) be a number field, and let \(\phi_1,\dots,\phi_g:\mathbb P^1_K\to\mathbb P^1_K\) be rational maps of degree at least \(2\). Let \(\mathcal A_1,\dots,\mathcal A_g\) be finite subsets of \(\mathbb P^1(K)\) such that, for each \(i\), every point in \(\mathcal A_i\) is \(\phi_i\)-preperiodic. Let \(\mathcal T_1,\dots,\mathcal T_g\) be finite subsets of \(\mathbb P^1(K)\) such that no \(\mathcal T_i\) contains any \(\phi_i\)-preperiodic points. Then there is a positive integer \(M\) and a set \(\mathcal P\) of primes of \(K\) with positive density, such that \[ \phi_i^m(\gamma)\not\equiv\alpha\pmod{\mathfrak p} \] for all \(i=1,\dots,g\), all \(\gamma\in\mathcal T_i\), all \(\alpha\in\mathcal A_i\), all \(\mathfrak p\in\mathcal P\), and all \(m\geq M\). Here \(\phi_i^m\) denotes the \(m^{\text{th}}\) iterate of \(\phi_i\) under composition. The method of proof is to first find a prime \(\mathfrak p\) at which, for each \(i\), the expression \(\phi_i^M(x)-\alpha\) does not have a root modulo \(\mathfrak p\) for any \(\alpha\in\mathcal A_i\). The Chebotarev density theorem then gives the desired positive-density set \(\mathcal P\) of primes with the desired property. The paper gives two corollaries. For the first one, let \(K\) be a number field, let \(\phi:\mathbb P^1_K\to\mathbb P^1_K\) be a rational function of degree at least \(2\), and let \(\alpha\in\mathbb P^1(K)\) be a non-periodic point for \(\phi\). Then there is a positive-density set of primes \(\mathfrak p\) of \(K\) such that \(\phi\) has good reduction at \(\mathfrak p\) and the reduction of \(\alpha\) modulo \(\mathfrak p\) is not \(\phi_{\mathfrak p}\)-periodic. The other corollary is as follows. Let \(K\) be a number field, let \(E\) be an elliptic curve over \(K\), let \(Q\in E(K)\) be a non-torsion point, let \(q\) be a prime number, and let \(n\) be a positive integer. Then there is a positive-density set of primes \(\mathfrak p\) of \(K\) such that \(E\) has good reduction at \(\mathfrak p\) and such that the order of \(Q_{\mathfrak p}\) in the finite group \(E_{\mathfrak p}(k_{\mathfrak p})\) is divisible by \(q^n\). Here \(k_{\mathfrak p}\) denotes the residue field of \(K\) at \(\mathfrak p\). This is a weak form of a result of \textit{R. Pink} [ibid. 330, No. 2, 275--291 (2004; Zbl 1077.11046)].