A Pellian equation with primes and applications to \(D(-1)\)-quadruples (Q2272662)

Let \(n\) be a nonzero element of a commutative ring \(R\). A Diophantine \(m\)-tuple with the property \(D(n)\), or simply a \(D(n)-m\)-tuple, is a set of \(m\) nonzero elements of \(R\) such that if \(a, b\) are any two distinct elements from this set, then \(ab + n\) is a square in \(R\). The authors prove that if \(p\) is an odd prime and \(k\) is a nonnegative integer then the equation \[x^2-(p^{2k+2} + 1)y^2 = -p^{2l+1}, \; l \in \{0, 1, \ldots , k\}\] has no solutions in positive integers \(x\) and \(y\). Using this statement the authors continue the research on \(D(-1)\)-tuples see e.g. [\textit{I. Soldo}, Bull. Malays. Math. Sci. Soc. (2) 39, No. 3, 1201--1224 (2016; Zbl 1419.11055)] The authors show among others: Let \(k, t\) be positive integers and let \(\{1, b, c\}\) be a \(D(-1)\)-triple in the ring \(\mathbb Z[\sqrt{-t}]\). If \(b = 2p^k\), where \(p\) is an odd prime, then \(c\in \mathbb Z\). If \(p\) is an odd prime and \(k, t\) positive integers with \(t \equiv 0 \pmod 2\), then there does not exist a \(D(-1)\)-quadruple in \(\mathbb Z[\sqrt{-t}]\) of the form \(\{1, 2p^k , c, d\}\). Let \(k \in \{1, 2, 4\}\) and let \(2p^k = q^{2^l} + 1\), \(l > 0\), where \(p\) and \(q\) are odd primes. Then A. If \(t \in \{1, q^2, \ldots , q^{2^l-2}, q^{2^l}\}\), then there exist infinitely many \(D(-1)\)-quadruples of the form \(\{1, 2p^k ,-c, d\}\), \(c, d > 0\) in \(\mathbb Z[\sqrt{-t}]\). B. If \(t \in \{q, q^3, \ldots , q^{2^l-3}, q^{2^l-1}\}\), then there does not exist \(D(-1)\)-quadruples of the form \(\{1, 2p^k ,c, d\}\), in \(\mathbb Z[\sqrt{-t}]\).