On the quadratic character of quadratic units (Q2483166)

Let \(d>1\) be a squarefree integer and \(\varepsilon_d\) be the fundamental unit of the quadratic field \(\mathbb Q(\sqrt{d})\). Suppose that \(p\equiv 1\pmod 4\) is a prime such that \((d/p)=1\) (the Legendre symbol). Many mathematicians tried to characterize primes of this form such that \(\varepsilon_d\) is a quadratic residue modulo \(p\). For example, the author did so in [J. Number Theory 113, 10--52 (2005; Zbl 1101.11003)]. Here the author considers more generally the value of \(((b+\sqrt{a^2+b^2})/2)^{(p-1)/2}\pmod p\) in case \(p\equiv 1\pmod 4\) and \(p\) does not divide \(a(a^2+b^2)\) and further assuming that \(p\) is represented by a certain quadratic form. As an application he obtains simple criteria for \(\varepsilon_d\) to be a quadratic residue modulo \(p\). He also establishes congruences for \(U_{(p\pm 1)/2}\pmod p\) and obtains a criterion for \(U_{(p-1)/4}\) to be divisible by \(p\), where \(U_0,U_1,U_2,\ldots\) is the Lucas sequence defined by \(U_0=0\), \(U_1=1\) and, for \(n\geq 1\), by \(U_{n+1}=bU_n+k^2U_{n-1}\). The proofs are of a highly computational nature.