\(p\)-adic properties of division polynomials and elliptic divisibility sequences (Q1779179)

Let \(K\) be a field and \(E/K\) an elliptic curve defined over \(K\) by a Weierstrass equation \[ y^2+ a_1 xy+ a_3 y= x^3+ a_2 x^2+ a_4 x+ a_6. \] Let \(O\) be the origin of \(E\) and \(n\geq 1\) an integer. The \(n\)-division polynomial \(F_n\) is the function in \(K(E)\) with divisor \[ (F_n)= [n]^*(O)- n^2(O), \] suitably normalized at \(O\). The function \(z= -x/y\) is a uniformizer at \(O\in E\), and the normalization adopted by the author is defined by the equality \((z^{n^2- 1}F_n)(O)= n\). For a fixed point \(P\in E(K)\) the author studies the sequence of values \((F_n(P))_{n\geq 1}\) of the division polynomials evaluated at \(P\). He obtains periodicity properties when \(K\) is a finite field and also a finite ring, and convergence properties when \(K\) is a complete local field. Let us mention his results in case \(K= \mathbb{F}_p\) is the field of order a prime number \(p\), and if \(K= \mathbb{Q}_p\). Theorem 1. Suppose \(K= \mathbb{F}_p\). Let \(P\in E(\mathbb{F}_p)\) be a point of exact order \(r\geq 2\). Then the sequence \((F_n(P))_{n\geq 1}\) is periodic with period \(rt\) for some integer \(t\) dividing \(p- 1\) if \(r\geq 3\), and dividing \(2p- 2\) if \(r= 2\). If \(K= \mathbb{Q}_p\) the author proves the following result: Theorem 2. Suppose \(E/\mathbb{Q}_p\) has good ordinary reduction. Let \(P\in E(\mathbb{Q}_p)\) be a point whose reduction modulo \(p\) has order \(r\). Let \(rt\) be the period of the sequence \((F_n(P)\text{\,mod\,}p)_{n\geq 1}\) as in the statement of the previous theorem. Assume that \(p\geq 3\), \(r\geq 2\) and \(r\) not divisible by \(p\). Let \(e\) be an integer such that \(p^e\equiv 1\text{\,mod\,}rt\). Then, for every \(m\geq 1\), the sequence \((F_{mp^{ek}}(P))_{k\geq 1}\) converges in \(\mathbb{Z}_p\). Moreover, this limit is zero if and only if \(r\) divides \(m\). In case \(E\) is defined over \(\mathbb{Q}\) and \(P\in E(\mathbb{Q})\), this limit is algebraic over \(\mathbb{Q}\). The proof of this result uses the Mazur-Tate \(p\)-adic \(\sigma\)-function, which is the reason why the elliptic curve \(E\) is supposed to have ordinary reduction over \(\mathbb{Q}_p\). However, as the author mentions, it is likely that the statement is true without this hypothesis. As an application of the theorem 2, he proves an analogous \(p\)-adic limit and algebraicity results for elliptic divisibility sequences. The author also publishes an addendum to this paper, describing results previously obtained by Mohamed Ayad on this topic. In this addendum, he compares the results proved by Ayad and those written in the present paper.