Explicit modular forms from the divided beta family (Q2310793)

Fix an odd prime \(p\). \textit{H. R. Miller} et al. [Ann. Math. (2) 106, 469--516 (1977; Zbl 0374.55022)] have shown that the 2-line \[\mathrm{Ext}^{2,t}:=\mathrm{Ext}^{2,t}_{BP_*BP}(BP_*,BP_*)\Rightarrow(\pi_{t-2}S^0)_{(p)}\] of the Adams-Novikov spectral sequence is additively generated by elements \(\beta_{i/j,k}\in\mathrm{Ext}^{2,2i(p^2-1)-2j(p-1)}\) for certain permissible triples \((i,j,k)\). This collection of generators is called the \(p\)-primary divided beta family. For \(p\geq 5\), \textit{M. Behrens} [Geom. Topol. 13, No. 1, 319--357 (2009; Zbl 1205.55012)] shows that there is a modular form \(f_{i/j,k}\) associated to each \(\beta_{i/j,k}\). Moreover, each \(f_{i/j,k}\) satisfies certain congruence and valuation criteria. In general, these criteria do not uniquely determine \(f_{i/j,k}\). In this article, the author focuses on explicit computations for \(k=1\). In this case, any candidate for \(f_{i/j,1}\) is a weight \(i(p^2-1)\) modular form over \(\mathbb{Z}\) for the full modular group \(\mathrm{SL}_2(\mathbb{Z})\). For \(p=5\), the author computes a modular form for each \(\beta_{i/j,1}\). The author also performs some preliminary computations for the primes \(7\), \(11\), and \(13\). It is worth noting that many of these modular forms are powers of the Ramanujan delta function \(\Delta\). Conjecture 5.17 predicts that \(f_{r\cdot p^n/j,1}=\Delta^{r\cdot p^n(p^2-1)/12}\) for \(r\geq 1\), \((r,p)=1\), and \(1\leq j\leq p^n\), and that \(f_{r\cdot p^n/j,1}\neq\Delta^{r\cdot p^n(p^2-1)/12}\) for all other permissible values of \(j\). Despite its close connection to stable homotopy theory, this article should be quite accessible for any readers with some background in modular forms. Thanks to the clear exposition, this article would serve as a nice introduction for number theorists who are interested in questions inspired by algebraic topology.