Cuspidal class number formula for the modular curves \(X_ 1(p)\) (Q1208092)

The cuspidal divisor class group \({\mathcal C}\) of a modular curve is the subgroup of the divisor class group, generated by the cusps. In the paper under review the cuspidal class number \(h_ 1(p)\) of the curve \(X_ 1(p)\) is computed, for a prime \(p\neq 2,3\). The formula is: \[ h_ 1(p)=p^ 2\bigl(\prod_{\chi\neq 1}{\textstyle{1\over 2}}B_{2,\chi}\bigr)^ 2, \] where \(\chi\) runs over nontrivial characters of \((\mathbb{Z}/p\mathbb{Z})^*/\{\pm 1\}\) and \(B_{2,\chi}\) is the generalized Bernoulli number. For the proof, the author considers a certain conjugate group \(\Gamma\) of \(\Gamma_ 1(p)\). The normalizer of \(\Gamma\) in \(SL_ 2(\mathbb{R})\) plays a similar role to \(SL_ 2(\mathbb{Z})\) and \(\Gamma\) can be regarded as a principal congruence subgroup of this normalizer. Then, he is able to follow closely the method of Kubert-Lang in [\textit{D. S. Kubert} and \textit{S. Lang}, ``Modular Units'' (Grundlehren Math. Wiss. 244) (Springer 1981; Zbl 0492.12002)]. Certain modified Siegel functions give the full group of units and the cuspidal class number can be expressed as an index of a Stickelberger ideal in a group ring. As a bypass, it is determined the structure of the group \({\mathcal C}/{\mathcal C}_ 0+{\mathcal C}_ \infty\), where \({\mathcal C}_ 0\), \({\mathcal C}_ \infty\) are the subgroups of \({\mathcal C}\) generated respectively by the cusps lying above the cusps \(0,\infty\) of \(X_ 0(p)\). This factor group is isomorphic to the cuspidal divisor class group of \(X_ 0(p)\): it is cyclic of order the numerator of \((p- 1)/12\) and generated by the class of \((0)-(\infty)\).