arXiv subjects

Lori D. Watson

Publications and source records attributed to Lori D. Watson.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Minimal torsion curves in geometric isogeny classes

In this paper, we introduce the study of minimal torsion curves within a fixed geometric isogeny class. For a $\overline{\mathbb{Q}}$-isogeny class $\mathcal{E}$ of elliptic curves and $N \in \mathbb{Z}^+$, we wish to determine the least degree of a point on the modular curve $X_1(N)$ associated to any $E \in \mathcal{E}$. In the present work, we consider the cases where $\mathcal{E}$ is rational, i.e., contains an elliptic curve with rational $j$-invariant, or where $\mathcal{E}$ consists of elliptic curves with complex multiplication (CM). If $N=\ell^k$ is a power of a single prime, we give a complete characterization upon restricting to points of odd degree, and also in the case where $\mathcal{E}$ is CM. We include various partial results in the more general setting.

math.NT↗

arXiv2024

Towards a classification of $p^2$-discriminant ideal twins over number fields

Isogenous elliptic curves have the same conductor but not necessarily the same minimal discriminant ideal. In this article, we explicitly classify all $p^2$-isogenous elliptic curves defined over a number field with the same minimal discriminant ideal for odd prime $p$ where $X_0(p^2)$ has genus $0$, i.e., $p = 3$ or $5$. As a consequence, we give a list of all $p^2$-isogenous discriminant (ideal) twins over $\mathbb{Q}$ for such $p$.

math.NT↗

arXiv2021

Hasse principle violations in twist families of superelliptic curves

Conditionally on the $abc$ conjecture, we generalize previous work of Clark and the author to show that a superelliptic curve $C: y^n = f(x)$ of sufficiently high genus has infinitely many twists violating the Hasse Principle if and only if $f(x)$ has no $\mathbb Q$-rational roots. We also show unconditionally that a curve defined by $C: y^{pN}=f(x)$ has infinitely many twists violating the Hasse Principle over any number field $k$ such that $k$ contains the $p$th roots of unity and $f(x)$ has no $k$-rational roots.

math.NT↗

arXiv2020

Odd degree isolated points on $X_1(N)$ with rational $j$-invariant

Let $C$ be a curve defined over a number field $k$. We say a closed point $x\in C$ of degree $d$ is isolated if it does not belong to an infinite family of degree $d$ points parametrized by the projective line or a positive rank abelian subvariety of the curve's Jacobian. Building on work of Bourdon, Ejder, Liu, Odumodu, and Viray, we characterize elliptic curves with rational $j$-invariant which give rise to an isolated point of odd degree on $X_1(N)/\mathbb{Q}$ for some positive integer $N$.

math.NT↗