The distribution of the number of points modulo an integer on elliptic curves over finite fields (Q1941046)

Let \(\mathbb{F}_q\) be a finite field and \(E\) be an elliptic curve defined over \(\mathbb{F}_q\). The order of the group \(E(\mathbb{F}_q)\) of the points of \(E\) rational over \(\mathbb{F}_q\) is \(1+q-t_E\), where \(t_E\) belongs to \([-2\sqrt{q},2\sqrt{q}]\), is an integer called the trace of Frobenius of \(E\). In this interval, \(t_E\) is unpredictable, and it is seemingly a random number. Sato and Tate have conjecturally described how \(t_E\) should be distributed along the interval \([-1,1]\) after normalized by \(2\sqrt{q}\) (see [\textit{H. Carayol}, Séminaire Bourbaki. Volume 2006/2007. Exposés 967--981. Paris: Société Mathématique de France. Astérisque 317, 345--392, Exp. No. 977 (2008; Zbl 1230.11073)]) for the recent progress in this matter). Let \(N\) be an integer. In this paper, the authors study the question of how the order of \(E(\mathbb{F}_q)\) modulo \(N\) is distributed along \(\big\{ 0,1,\cdots,N-1\big\}\). Given an integer \(b\), they prove explicit estimates for the probability that the order of \(E(\mathbb{F}_q)\) equals \(b\) modulo \(N\). They use an equidistribution result on the action of Frobenius on the \(N\)-torsion subgroup of \(E\).