Moments of quadratic twists of elliptic curve \(L\)-functions over function fields (Q2201815)

Let \(q\) denote a prime power, and consider the elliptic curve \(E\) defined by \(y^2=x^3+ax+b\) for \(a,b\in\mathbb{F}_q[t]\). Let \(\mathcal{H}_{2g+1}\) denote the set of monic, square-free \(D\in\mathbb{F}_q[t]\) of degree \(2g+1\) coprime to \(4a^3+27b^2\). For \(D\in\mathcal{H}_{2g+1}\), the twist of \(E\otimes\chi_D\) of \(E\) by \(D\) has defining equation \(y^2=x^3+D^2ax+D^3b\). The arithmetic theory of \(E\) has many similarities with that of elliptic curves over number fields. In particular, their is a natural theory of \(L\)-functions and the analytic rank of \(E\otimes\chi_D\) is denoted by \(r_{E\otimes\chi_D}\). Consider two elliptic curves \(E_1\) and \(E_2\) as above. Subject to certain constraints involving root numbers, this paper proves bounds for the sets \[ \{D\in\mathcal{H}_{2g+1}:r_{E_1\otimes\chi_D}=0,r_{E_2\otimes\chi_D}=1\},\ \ \{D\in\mathcal{H}_{2g+1}:r_{E_1\otimes\chi_D}=1,r_{E_2\otimes\chi_D}=1\}. \] in the limit as \(g\rightarrow\infty\). The bounds established follow from formulas for various moments of the form \[ \frac{1}{\left\lvert\mathcal{H}_{2g+1}\right\rvert}\sum_{D\in\mathcal{H}_{2g+1}}\varepsilon^{\ast}L^{\ast}\left(E\otimes\chi_D,\frac12\right), \] where \(L^{\ast}\left(E\otimes\chi_D,\frac12\right)\) denotes a (first or second) power of a (zeroth or first) derivative of the \(L\)-value \(L\left(E\otimes\chi_D,\frac12\right)\) and \(\varepsilon^{\ast}\) is related to the root number. The moment formulas involve the symmetric square \(L\)-function \(L(\mathrm{Sym}^2E,s)\). The results established in this article are part of a much larger programme studying the values of \(L\)-functions at their central points using the moments of various families. In particular, it is emphasized that the limit is taken with respect to \(g\) (rather than \(q\)), and furthermore, it is noted that he bounds for the sets above are the first of their kind to appear in the literature.