Semistable models for modular curves and power operations for Morava E-theories of height 2 (Q2324593)

This article proves a result about power operations in algebraic topology by means of a new result in arithmetic geometry. \(E_{\infty}\)-ring spectra in algebraic topology are a refinement of multiplicative cohomology theories that additionally allows for a theory of power operations. For \(H\mathbb{F}_p\) these are given by Dyer-Lashof operations. Lubin-Tate theories are further examples of \(E_{\infty}\)-ring spectra of paramount importance in chromatic homotopy theory and depend on the choice of height and prime. The theory of power operations for Lubin-Tate theories has been developed first by Ando, Hopkins and Strickland and has been brought into a rather definitive abstract form by Rezk. For computations one needs to bring the theory in a more concrete form though, i.e.\ provide generators and relations for the ring of power operations and describe explicitly the error terms arising when commuting power operations (the analogue for \(H\mathbb{F}_p\) being the Adem relations). This concrete form is not difficult to obtain at height \(1\), and at height \(2\) has mostly been provided by Rezk and Zhu at the primes \(2\), \(3\) and \(5\). The paper under review extends this to a uniform and complete presentation at height \(2\) and all primes. The problem has already earlier been translated into arithmetic geometry and the key is to provide good equations for the moduli of degree \(p\) and \(p^2\) subgroups of the universal deformation of a height \(2\) formal group over \(\mathbb{F}_{p^n}\). The author uses the theory of moduli of elliptic curves to do this. The work of \textit{M. Behrens} and \textit{C. Rezk} [Invent. Math. 220, No. 3, 949--1022 (2020; Zbl 1444.55003)] provides a bridge between power operations for Lubin-Tate theories and unstable chromatic homotopy theory and the present work has already successfully been applied to the latter in [\textit{Y. Zhu}, Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 146, No. 1, 449--458 (2018; Zbl 1422.55032)].