A differential equation satisfied by the arithmetic Kodaira-Spencer class (Q2503372)

The main key of the paper under review is the arithmetic Kodaira-Spencer class of the universal elliptic curve that was introduced by the author in a previous paper [\textit{A. Buium}, J. Reine Angew. Math. 520, 95--167 (2000; Zbl 1045.11025)]. Later \textit{C. Hurlburt} [Compos. Math. 128, No. 1, 17--34 (2001; Zbl 1039.11036)] presented an explicit formula for this class. The constant term, \(\overline{\varphi_{0}}\), of the Hurlburt's formula which is a modular form mod \(p\), is completely complicated and mysterious. The author of the paper under review shows that this term, \(\overline{\varphi_{0}}\), satisfies a simple partial differential equation. The author does not use the Hurlburt's formula to prove his results. The author uses his above mentioned previous work to compute the Fourier \(q\)-expansion of \(\overline{\varphi_{0}}\) and observes that the derivative with respect to \(q\) of this expansion has a particularly simple form. The author then applies Fourier expansion principle mod \(p\), and an analysis of the space of the solutions to the above mentioned differential equation to conclude the results.