Tamagawa factors for symmetric squares of Tate curves
Let \(E/\mathbb{Q}\) be an elliptic curve and \(L(\text{Sym}^2(E),s)\) the symmetric square \(L\)-function attached to \(E\) defined by an Euler product for \(\Re(s)>2\) and which is entire and satisfies a functional equation. The special value \(L(\text{ Sym}^2(E),2)\) may be evaluated using the Rankin-Selberg method [\textit{G. Shimura}, Commun. Pure Appl. Math 29, 783--804 (1976; Zbl 0348.10015)]. \textit{M. Flach} started the comparison [Prog. Math. 116, 23--36 (1994; Zbl 0840.14019)] between this special value and the conjectural Bloch-Kato formula [\textit{S. Bloch} and \textit{K. Kato}, Prog. Math. 86, 333--400 (1990; Zbl 0768.14001)] and obtained some evidence for their conjecture at this case. This is related to a key result in the famous work of Taylor and Wiles [\textit{A. Wiles}, Ann. Math. (2) 141, 443--551 (1995; Zbl 0823.11029); \textit{R. Taylor} and \textit{A. Wiles}, Ann. Math. (2) 141, 553--572 (1995; Zbl 0823.11030)]. Based on the latter papers, \textit{F. Diamond}, \textit{M. Flach} and \textit{L. Guo} [Math. Res. Lett. 8, 437--442 (2001; Zbl 1022.11023), and ``Adjoint motives of modular forms and the Tamagawa number conjecture'', preprint] have proved a general result on the Bloch-Kato conjecture (at \(s=1\)) for the adjoint \(L\)-function of a newform of weight \(k\geq2\). If the new form has trivial character this is equivalent to the symmetric square \(L\)-function at \(s=k\). Applying their result to \(L(\text{Sym}^2(E),2)\) one proves the \(l\)-part of the Bloch-Kato conjecture for primes \(l\geq5\) where \(E\) has good reduction and the representation of \(\text{Gal}(\overline{\mathbb{Q}}/\mathbb{Q})\) on \(E[l]\) is irreducible. In the paper under review, the author deduces a partial result (when \(E[l]\) is irreducible) and produces numerical evidence (when \(E[l]\) is reducible) concerning the \(l\)-part of the Bloch-Kato conjecture for \(L(\text{Sym}^2(E),2)\), where \(l\geq5\) is a prime where \(E\) has multiplicative reduction. The key step is to determine the \(l\)-part of the Tamagawa factor \(c_l\) in the conjectural formula for \(L(\text{Sym}^2(E),2)\). Using the functional equation and results of Fontaine and Perrin-Riou [\textit{B. Perrin-Riou}, Astérisque 223, 185--220 (1994; Zbl 1043.11532), \(p\)-adic \(L\)-functions and \(p\)-adic representations, Astérisque 229 (1995; Zbl 0845.11040), English translation (2000; Zbl 0988.11055)], one reduces the problem to that of determining the \(l\)-part of the Tamagawa factor \(c_l(-1)\) occuring in the conjectural formula for \(L(\text{Sym}^2(E),1)\). The author's main result is that this is simply \(| \text{ord}_l(j(E))| _l^{-1}\). In particular, in the case of split mutliplicative reduction it is exactly the same as the \(l\)-part of the factor \(c_l'\) in the original Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer conjecture for \(E\). The proof relies on the theories of ordinary and semi-stable \(p\)-adic representations of \(\text{Gal}(\overline{\mathbb{Q}}_p/ \mathbb{Q}_p)\) and Fontaine's filtered \((\phi,N)\)-modules [\textit{J.-M. Fontaine}, Astérisque 223, 113--184 (1994; Zbl 0865.14009); \textit{B. Perrin-Riou}, Astérisque 223, 185--220 (1994; Zbl 1043.11532)], especially on Breuil's integral refinements [\textit{C. Breuil}, Ann. Sci. Éc. Norm. Supér. (4) 31, 281--327 (1998; Zbl 0907.14006), Duke Math. J. 95, 523--620 (1998; Zbl 0961.14010)].
scientific article; zbMATH DE number 2064730