The rational torsion subgroups of Drinfeld modular Jacobians and Eisenstein pseudo-harmonic cochains (Q2412544)

Let \(X_0\not= \mathfrak n\) be an ideal of \(A=\mathbb F_q[T]\), and let \(X_0(\mathfrak n)\) be the Drinfeld modular curve of Hecke type with conductor \(\mathfrak n\), defined over the field \(F = \mathbb F_q(T)\), with Jacobian \(J_0(\mathfrak n)\). It is known that the group of its \(F\)-rational points is finitely generated. In particular, the torsion subgroup \(\mathcal T(\mathfrak n)\), which contains the group \(\mathcal C(\mathfrak n)\) generated by the cusps of \(X_0(\mathfrak n)\), is finite. It is conjectured that in fact \(\mathcal C(\mathfrak n) = \mathcal T(\mathfrak n)\), which has been shown by \textit{A. Pál} [Doc. Math. 10, 131--198 (2005; Zbl 1119.11031)] if \(\mathfrak n\) happens to be prime. In the present work, the authors study this question in the case where \(\mathfrak n\) is squarefree. Their main result is: If \(\ell\) is a prime number coprime with \(q(q-1)\), then the \(\ell\)-primary parts \(\mathcal C(\mathfrak n)_{\ell}\) and \(\mathcal T(\mathfrak n)_{\ell}\) agree. Moreover, they are able to determine that group: see Theorem 1.3. The proofs make use of Hecke and Atkin-Lehner operators on modules of pseudo-harmonic cochains on the Bruhat-Tits tree \(\mathcal T\) of \(\mathrm{PGL}(2,F_{\infty})\), i.e., on functions defined on the oriented edges of \(\mathcal T\) satisfying a certain flow condition. Such cochains are special cases of metaplectic forms as introduced in [\textit{F.-T. Wei}, Math. Ann. 355, No. 1, 235--258 (2013; Zbl 1329.11040)], and generalizations of the now ``classical'' harmonic cochains, on which a vast literature is available. The paper starts with some motivation from the corresponding problem in classical modular curves and a brief but effective overview of the results and methods used, which greatly enhances its legibility.