Congruences between modular forms given by the divided \(\beta \) family in homotopy theory (Q1006128)

Let \(p\geq 5\) be an odd prime number, and let \(BP\) denote the corresponding Brown-Peterson spectrum. In [\textit{H.~R.~Miller, D.~C.~Ravenel} and \textit{W.~S.~Wilson}, Ann. Math. (2) 106, 469--516 (1977; Zbl 0374.55022)] the authors showed that \(\text{Ext}^{2,*}_{BP_*BP}(BP_*,BP_*)\) is generated by certain classes \(\beta_{i/j,k}\), and within the same paper the three authors determined a corresponding set of relations between the generators \(\beta_{i/j,k}\). In the paper under review the author shows that this set of generators and relations has a concrete counterpart in the the ring of modular forms \({\mathcal M}_*\). More precisely the author associates to each generator \(\beta_{i/j,k}\) a corresponding modular form \(f_{i/j,k}\) in such a way that the relations among the \(\beta_{i/j,k}\) are also respected by the \(f_{i/j,k}\). Using these results, Behrens and Laures later showed in [\textit{M.~Behrens} and \textit{G.~Laures}, \(\beta \)-family congruences and the \(f\)-invariant. Geometry and Topology Monographs 16, 9--29 (2009; Zbl 1222.55013)] that the family of the \(\beta_{i/j,k}\) and the family of the \(f_{i/j,k}\) are linked through the \(f\)-invariant homomorphism constructed in [\textit{G.~Laures}, Topology 38, No.~2, 387--425 (1999; Zbl 0924.55004)]. To obtain the above result the author applies the chromatic spectral sequence to the spectrum \(Q(\ell)\) which he has constructed in \textit{M. Behrens} [Am. J. Math. 129, No.~6, 1513--1563 (2007; Zbl 1147.55011)], and whose definition is intimately related to Hopkins' ring spectrum of topological modular forms \(TMF\). His treatment of the chromatic spectral sequence for \(Q(\ell)\) also yields information about \(Ext^{1,*}_{BP_*BP}(BP_*,BP_*)\). Here the generators are certain classes \(\alpha_{i/j}\), and Behrens' calculations show that these classes as well as relations between them are also reflected within the ring of modular forms \(\mathcal{M}_*\), namely through properties of the family of Eisenstein series. The latter oberservation however should be viewed as a reinterpretation of some earlier work by Laures (obtained in his MIT PhD thesis) and \textit{A. Baker} (see [Can. Math. Bull. 42, No.2, 129--138 (1999; Zbl 0934.55005)]), who both, independently from another, used Hecke operations and their actions on the family of Eisenstein series to understand the \(1\)-line of the \(TMF\)-Adams-Novikov spectral sequence for the sphere spectrum. Taken together, Behrens' results on the \(\alpha\)- and the \(\beta\)-family in this article show that the unit map from the \(E(2)\)-localized sphere \(S_{E(2)}\) to \(Q(\ell)\) is injective on these families. The latter supports the author's conjecture that his spectrum \(Q(\ell)\) and some similarly constructed analogues [cf.~\textit{M.~Behrens} and \textit{T.~Lawson}, Mem. Am. Math. Soc. 958, i-xxiii, 1--132 (2010; Zbl 1210.55005)]) are quite closely related to the Greek letter element construction principle used in stable homotopy theory.