Demjanenko matrix, class number, and Hodge group (Q911643)

For any odd prime number p, a modified Dem'yanenko matrix D is defined and shown to be equal to a matrix H, closely related to a representation matrix of the character group of the Hodge group of an abelian variety with complex multiplication by \({\mathbb{Q}}(\zeta_ p)\). The main result is the explicit expression: det D\(=\det H=(odd\) \(integer)\cdot h^-_ p\), where \(h^-_ p\) is the relative class number of \({\mathbb{Q}}(\zeta_ p)\), thus leading to the corollary that p is non-exceptional if \(h^-_ p\) is odd. This last result is of importance in the problem of giving an explicit bound for the order of torsion points on some elliptic curves.