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Barry Mazur

Publications and source records attributed to Barry Mazur.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2024

Shadow line distributions

Let $E$ be an elliptic curve over $\mathbb{Q}$ with Mordell--Weil rank $2$ and $p$ be an odd prime of good ordinary reduction. For every imaginary quadratic field $K$ satisfying the Heegner hypothesis, there is (subject to the Shafarevich--Tate conjecture) a line, i.e., a free $\mathbb{Z}_p$-submodule of rank $1$, in $ E(K)\otimes \mathbb{Z}_p$ given by universal norms coming from the Mordell--Weil groups of subfields of the anticyclotomic $\mathbb{Z}_p$-extension of $K$; we call it the {\it shadow line}. When the twist of $E$ by $K$ has analytic rank $1$, the shadow line is conjectured to lie in $E(\mathbb{Q})\otimes\mathbb{Z}_p$; we verify this computationally in all our examples. We study the distribution of shadow lines in $E(\mathbb{Q})\otimes\mathbb{Z}_p$ as $K$ varies, framing conjectures based on the computations we have made.

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arXiv2023

Ogg's Torsion conjecture: Fifty years later

Andrew Ogg's mathematical viewpoint has inspired an increasingly broad array of results and conjectures. His results and conjectures have earmarked fruitful turning points in our subject, and his influence has been such a gift to all of us. Ogg's celebrated Torsion Conjecture -- as it relates to modular curves -- can be paraphrased as saying that rational points (on the modular curves that parametrize torsion points on elliptic curves) exist if and only if there is a good geometric reason for them to exist. We give a survey of Ogg's Torsion Conjecture and the subsequent developments in our understanding of rational points on modular curves over the last fifty years.

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arXiv2023

Derived class field theory

We sketch the construction of a derived enhancement of the reciprocity isomorphism of class field theory. Details will appear in a forthcoming joint paper of the authors with A. Raksit.

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arXiv2023

Defining $\mathbb Z$ using unit groups

We consider first-order definability and decidability questions over rings of integers of algebraic extensions of $\Q$, paying attention to the uniformity of definitions. The uniformity follows from the simplicity of our first-order definition of $\Z$. Namely, we prove that for a large collection of algebraic extensions $K/\Q$, $$ \{x \in \oo_K : \text{$\forall \e \in \oo_K^\times \;\exists \delta \in \oo_K^\times$ such that $\delta-1 \equiv (\e-1)x \pmod{(\e-1)^2}$}\} = \Z $$ where $\oo_K$ denotes the ring of integers of $K$. One of the corollaries of our results is undecidability of the field of constructible numbers, a question posed by Tarski in 1948.

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arXiv2022

Disparity in Selmer ranks of quadratic twists of elliptic curves

We study the parity of 2-Selmer ranks in the family of quadratic twists of an arbitrary elliptic curve E over an arbitrary number field K. We prove that the fraction of twists (of a given elliptic curve over a fixed number field) having even 2-Selmer rank exists as a stable limit over the family of twists, and we compute this fraction as an explicit product of local factors. We give an example of an elliptic curve E such that as K varies, these fractions are dense in [0, 1]. More generally, our results also apply to p-Selmer ranks of twists of 2-dimensional self-dual F_p-representations of the absolute Galois group of K by characters of order p.

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arXiv2022

Existential definability and diophantine stability

Let $K$ be a number field, let $L$ be an algebraic (possibly infinite degree) extension of $K$, and let $O_K$ $\subset$ $O_L$ be their rings of integers. Suppose $A$ is an abelian variety defined over $K$ such that $A(K)$ is infinite and $A(L)/A(K)$ is a torsion group. If at least one of the following conditions is satisfied: 1. $L$ is a number field, 2. $L$ is totally real, 3. $L$ is a quadratic extension of a totally real field, then $O_K$ has a diophantine definition over $O_L$.

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arXiv2020

Big fields that are not large

A subfield $K$ of $\bar{\mathbb{Q}}$ is $large$ if every smooth curve $C$ over $K$ with a rational point has infinitely many rational points. A subfield $K$ of $\bar{\mathbb{Q}}$ is $big$ if for every positive integer $n$, $K$ contains a number field $F$ with $[F:\mathbb{Q}]$ divisible by $n$. The question of whether all big fields are large seems to have circulated for some time, although we have been unable to find its origin. In this paper we show that there are big fields that are not large.

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arXiv2020

Arithmetic conjectures suggested by the statistical behavior of modular symbols

Suppose $E$ is an elliptic curve over $\mathbb{Q}$ and $χ$ is a Dirichlet character. We use statistical properties of modular symbols to estimate heuristically the probability that $L(E,χ,1) = 0$. Via the Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer conjecture, this gives a heuristic estimate of the probability that the Mordell-Weil rank grows in abelian extensions of $\mathbb{Q}$. Using this heuristic we find a large class of infinite abelian extensions $F$ where we expect $E(F)$ to be finitely generated. Our work was inspired by earlier conjectures (based on random matrix heuristics) due to David, Fearnley, and Kisilevsky. Where our predictions and theirs overlap, the predictions are consistent.

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arXiv2017

Diophantine stability

If $V$ is an irreducible algebraic variety over a number field $K$, and $L$ is a field containing $K$, we say that $V$ is diophantine-stable for $L/K$ if $V(L) = V(K)$. We prove that if $V$ is either a simple abelian variety, or a curve of genus at least one, then under mild hypotheses there is a set $S$ of rational primes with positive density such that for every $\ell \in S$ and every $n \ge 1$, there are infinitely many cyclic extensions $L/K$ of degree $\ell^n$ for which $V$ is diophantine-stable. We use this result to study the collection of finite extensions of $K$ generated by points in $V(\bar{K})$.

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arXiv2015

Robert F. Coleman 1954-2014

Robert F. Coleman, a highly original mathematician who has had a profound influence on modern number theory and arithmetic geometry, passed away on March 24, 2014. We give an overview of his life and career, including some of his major contributions to mathematics and his role as an activist and spokesperson for people with disabilities.

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arXiv2013

Controlling Selmer groups in the higher core rank case

We define Kolyvagin systems and Stark systems attached to $p$-adic representations in the case of arbitrary `core rank' (the core rank is a measure of the generic Selmer rank in a family of Selmer groups). Previous work dealt only with the case of core rank one, where the Kolyvagin and Stark systems are collections of cohomology classes. For general core rank, they are collections of elements of exterior powers of cohomology groups. We show under mild hypotheses that for general core rank these systems still control the size and structure of Selmer groups, and that the module of all Kolyvagin (or Stark) systems is free of rank one.

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arXiv2013

Refined class number formulas for $\mathbb{G}_m$

We formulate a generalization of a `refined class number formula' of Darmon. Our conjecture deals with Stickelberger-type elements formed from generalized Stark units, and has two parts: the `order of vanishing' and the `leading term'. Using the theory of Kolyvagin systems we prove a large part of this conjecture when the order of vanishing of the corresponding complex $L$-function is $1$.

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arXiv2013

A Markov model for Selmer ranks in families of twists

We study the distribution of 2-Selmer ranks in the family of quadratic twists of an elliptic curve E over an arbitrary number field K. Under the assumption that Gal(K(E[2])/K) = S_3 we show that the density (counted in a non-standard way) of twists with Selmer rank r exists for all positive integers r, and is given via an equilibrium distribution, depending only on a single parameter (the `disparity'), of a certain Markov process that is itself independent of E and K. More generally, our results also apply to p-Selmer ranks of twists of 2-dimensional self-dual F_p-representations of the absolute Galois group of K by characters of order p.

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arXiv2012

Selmer companion curves

We say that two elliptic curves E_1, E_2 over a number field K are n-Selmer companions for a positive integer n if for every quadratic character χof K, there is an isomorphism between the n-Selmer groups Sel_n(E_1^χ/K) and Sel_n(E_2^χ/K) of the quadratic twists E_1^χ, E_2^χ. We give sufficient conditions for two elliptic curves to be n-Selmer companions, and give a number of examples of non-isogenous pairs of companions.

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arXiv2010

Ranks of twists of elliptic curves and Hilbert's Tenth Problem

In this paper we investigate the 2-Selmer rank in families of quadratic twists of elliptic curves over arbitrary number fields. We give sufficient conditions on an elliptic curve so that it has twists of arbitrary 2-Selmer rank, and we give lower bounds for the number of twists (with bounded conductor) that have a given 2-Selmer rank. As a consequence, under appropriate hypotheses we can find many twists with trivial Mordell-Weil group, and (assuming the Shafarevich-Tate conjecture) many others with infinite cyclic Mordell-Weil group. Using work of Poonen and Shlapentokh, it follows from our results that if the Shafarevich-Tate conjecture holds, then Hilbert's Tenth Problem has a negative answer over the ring of integers of every number field.

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arXiv2009

Refined class number formulas and Kolyvagin systems

We use the theory of Kolyvagin systems to prove (most of) a refined class number formula conjectured by Darmon. We show that for every odd prime $p$, each side of Darmon's conjectured formula (indexed by positive integers $n$) is "almost" a $p$-adic Kolyvagin system as $n$ varies. Using the fact that the space of Kolyvagin systems is free of rank one over $\mathbf{Z}_p$, we show that Darmon's formula for arbitrary $n$ follows from the case $n=1$, which in turn follows from classical formulas.

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