Surjectivity of mod \(2^n\) representations of elliptic curves (Q1925758)

Let \(E\) be an elliptic curve over \(\mathbb{Q}\). For \(\ell \geq 5\), we have by results of \textit{J.-P. Serre} [Abelian \(l\)-adic representations and elliptic curves. Wellesley, MA: A K Peters (1998; Zbl 0902.14016)] that if \({\bar \rho}_{E,\ell}\) is surjective then \({\bar \rho}_{E,\ell^{n+1}}\) is surjective. For \(\ell^n = 2,3,4\) (and only these values), the above result does not hold. This paper gives explicit criteria (in terms of \(\Delta_E\) and \(j_E\)) to check when: a) \({\bar \rho}_{E,2}\) is surjective but \({\bar \rho}_{E,4}\) is not surjective b) \({\bar \rho}_{E,2}\) is surjective but \({\bar \rho}_{E,4}\) is not surjective This completes the work by \textit{N.D. Elkies} in the case \(\ell = 3\) [``Elliptic curves with 3-adic Galois representation surjective mod 3 but not mod 9'', Preprint, \url{arXiv:math/0612734}].