Squares in Lucas sequences and some diophantine equations (Q1392980)

Let \((U_n)\) and \((V_n)\) be the Lucas sequences with parameters \(P\) and \(Q\): \[ U_0=0, \quad U_1=1, \quad U_{n+2}= PU_{n+1}- QU_n, \] \[ V_0=2, \quad V_1=P, \quad V_{n+2}= PV_{n+1}- QV_n. \] Recently \textit{P. Ribenboim} and \textit{W. L. McDaniel} [The square terms in Lucas sequences, J. Number Theory 58, 104-123 (1996; Zbl 0851.11011)] determined for odd relatively prime \(P\) and \(Q\) all \(n\) such that \(U_n\), \(2U_n\), \(V_n\) or \(2V_n\) is a perfect square. In this paper the authors take \(P\) a multiple of 4 and \(Q=-1\), and they show by elementary means and under certain assumptions that squares can only occur for \(n\leq 3\). These results are applied to the diophantine equations \[ 4x^4- Dy^2= \pm 1, \quad x^4- Dy^2=-1, \quad x^2-4Dy^4= \pm 1, \quad x^2-Dy^4=1. \]