On binary cubic and quartic forms (Q2198361)

Let \(F\) be a binary form with integer coefficients, non-zero discriminant, and degree \(d \geq 3\). Denote by \(R_F(X)\) the number of integers of absolute value at most \(Z\) which are representable by \(F\). In the author's previous work [Math. Ann. 375, 133--163 (2019; Zbl 1464.11035)], \textit{C. L. Stewart} and \textit{S. Y. Xiao} obtained the asymptotic formula \[ R_F(Z) \sim W_FA_FZ^{2/d}, \] where \(A_F\) is the area of the region \[ \{(x,y) \in \mathbb{R}^2 : |F(x,y)| \leq 1\}, \] and \(W_F\) is a rational number depending on the rational automorphism group of \(F\), given by \[ \Aut(F) = \{T \in \mathrm{GL}_2(\mathbb{Q}) : F_T(x,y) = F_T(x,y)\}. \] Here \(\mathrm{GL}_2(\mathbb{Q})\) acts on \(F\) naturally via substitution. The main purpose of the paper under review is to explicitly determine \(\Aut(F)\) in terms of the coefficients of \(F\) when \(d=3,4\). See Theorem 3.1 for the cubic case and Theorem 4.1 for the quartic case. The description of \(\Aut(F)\) is stated in terms of certain quadratic covariants of \(F\). In the process of the proof, the author also determined the real automorphism group \(\Aut_{\mathbb{R}}(F)\) of \(F\) in the quartic case (Proposition 4.6).