Global methods for the symplectic type of congruences between elliptic curves (Q832427)

Let \(K\) be a number field with absolute Galois group \(G_K\), \(p\) a prime and \(E\) and \(E'\) two elliptic curves defined over \(K\). The authors consider the \(p\)-torsion \(G_K\)-modules \(E[p]\) and \(E'[p]\). Should they be isomorphic, the curves are called \(p\)-congruent (or congruent \(\bmod p\)). The paper under review studies a partition in the set of such isomorphisms: the symplectic type. Given an isomorphism \(\phi: E[p] \to E'[p]\) there is a \(d(\phi) \in {\mathbb F}_p^*\) such that \[ e_{E',p} (\phi(P),\phi(Q)) = e_{E,p}(P,Q)^{d(\phi)}, \;\; \text{ for all } P,Q \in E[p]. \] We will subsequently say that \(\phi\) is symplectic if \(d(\phi)\) is a square in \({\mathbb F}_p^*\), and anti-symplectic otherwise. Both types of isomorphims can occur for a given triple \((E,E',p)\). This phenomenon is fully characterized, as it happens if and only if \(E[p]\) admits an anti-symplectic automorphism. This, for example, does not happen for \(K= {\mathbb Q}\) and \(p \geq 7\). The second author and \textit{A. Kraus} studied extensively in [Acta Arith. 195, No. 1, 13--55 (2020; Zbl 1448.11103)] the case of triples \((E,E',p)\) where all isomorphisms belong to one of the two types. For the case \(K = {\mathbb Q}\), a number of local criteria which only used standard information on \(E/{\mathbb Q}_l\) and \(E'/{\mathbb Q}_l\) (for \(l \neq p\)) were found. These criteria, however, were not enough for successfully solving the problem. The paper under review takes it from there, establishing global criteria which may be used when the local ones are not sufficient. It also contains a detailed study on the twist case (when \(E\) and \(E'\) are twists of each other) and also presents extensive calculations done in \texttt{Magma} and \texttt{SageMath} which relates this problem (or, more precisely, the techniques used here) to the Frey-Mazur Conjecture. As a side note, the second author and \textit{A. Kraus} have also published a volume in Mem. Amer. Math. Soc. on this problem [On the symplectic type of isomorphisms of the \(p\)-torsion of elliptic curves. Providence, RI: American Mathematical Society (AMS) (2022; Zbl 07573741)].