Torsion bounds for elliptic curves and Drinfeld modules

Abstract: We derive asymptotically optimal upper bounds on the number of L-rational torsion points on a given elliptic curve or Drinfeld module defined over a finitely generated field K, as a function of the degree [L:K]. Our main tool is the adelic openness of the image of Galois representations attached to elliptic curves and Drinfeld modules, due to Serre and Pink-Ruetsche, respectively. Our approach is to prove a general result for certain Galois modules, which applies simultaneously to elliptic curves and to Drinfeld modules.

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Let \(K\) be a finitely generated field and let \(K^{\mathrm{sep}}\) denote the separable closure of \(K\) in an algebraic closure \(\bar{K}.\) Denote by \(G_K = \mathrm{Gal}(K^{\mathrm{sep}}/K)\) the Galois group of \(K^{\mathrm{sep}}\) over \(K\). Let \(A\) be a ring and let \(E\) be an \(A\)-module on which \(G_K\) acts. For a non-zero prime ideal \(\mathfrak{p}\) of \(A\), let \(E[\mathfrak{p}^{\infty}]\) denote the \(\mathfrak{p}\)-power torsion submodule and let \(E_{\mathrm{tor}}\) denote the full torsion submodule. For a finite extension \(L/K\), let \(M(L)\) denote the subset of the \(A\)-module \(M\) fixed by \(\mathrm{Gal}((K^{\mathrm{sep}}/L)\). Suppose that either (a) \(A = \mathbb{Z}\), \(K\) is of characteristic 0, \(E\) is an elliptic curve over \(K\) and \(\gamma = \mathrm{rank}_{\mathbb{Z}}(\mathrm{End}_{\bar{K}}(E))/2\); or (b) \(A\) is the ring of elements of a global function field \(k\) regular outside a fixed place \(\infty\), \(E\) is a rank \(r\) Drinfeld \(A\)-module in generic characteristic over \(K\) and \(\gamma = \mathrm{rank}_{\mathbb{Z}}(\mathrm{End}_{\bar{K}}(E))/r\). In this paper under review, the author studies the question of bounding the cardinality of \(L\)-rational torsion submodules of \(E\) as a function of the degree \([L : K]\). The main results of the paper (Theorem~1.1) are the following. (1) Let \(\mathfrak{p}\) be a non-zero prime ideal of \(A\). Then there exists a constant \(C\) depending on \(E, K\) and \(\mathfrak{p}\) such that for any finite extension \(L/K\), \(|E[\mathfrak{p}^{\infty}](L)| \leq C [L:K]^{\gamma}\). (2) There exist a constant \(C\) depending on \(E\) and \(K\) such that for any finite extension \(L/K\), \(|E_{\mathrm{tor}}(L)| \leq C ([L : K] \log \log [L : K])^{\gamma}.\) The main result obtained by the author improves an upper bound due to \textit{D. W. Masser}~[Bull. Soc. Math. Fr. 117, No. 2, 247--265 (1989; Zbl 0723.14026)] and another upper bound due to \textit{N. Ratazzi}~[Ann. Sci. Éc. Norm. Sup. (4) 40, No. 6, 951--983 (2007; Zbl 1140.14041)]. When \(E\) is a Drinfeld module of rank 1 (\(r =1\)), then the above bound was shown by \textit{B. Poonen}~[Math. Ann. 308, No. 4, 571--586 (1997; Zbl 0891.11034)]. The key ingredients in proving the theorem is the adelic openness of the images of Galois representations, due to \textit{J.-P. Serre}~[Invent. Math. 15, 259--331 (1972; Zbl 0235.14012)], \textit{R. Pink} and \textit{E. Rütsche}~[J. Number Theory 129, No. 4, 882--907 (2009; Zbl 1246.11122)]. The strategy is to prove a general result for Galois modules which applies simultaneously to elliptic curves and to Drinfeld modules.

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