Descending Rational Points on Elliptic Curves to Smaller Fields

http://dx.doi.org/10.4153/CJM-2001-019-5
Canad. J. Math. 53(2001), 449-469

  Published:2001-06-01
 Printed: Jun 2001

In this paper, we study the Mordell-Weil group of an elliptic curve as a Galois module. We consider an elliptic curve $E$ defined over a number field $K$ whose Mordell-Weil rank over a Galois extension $F$ is $1$, $2$ or $3$. We show that $E$ acquires a point (points) of infinite order over a field whose Galois group is one of $C_n \times C_m$ ($n= 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, m= 1, 2$), $D_n \times C_m$ ($n= 2, 3, 4, 6, m= 1, 2$), $A_4 \times C_m$ ($m=1,2$), $S_4 \times C_m$ ($m=1,2$). Next, we consider the case where $E$ has complex multiplication by the ring of integers $\o$ of an imaginary quadratic field $\k$ contained in $K$. Suppose that the $\o$-rank over a Galois extension $F$ is $1$ or $2$. If $\k\neq\Q(\sqrt{-1})$ and $\Q(\sqrt{-3})$ and $h_{\k}$ (class number of $\k$) is odd, we show that $E$ acquires positive $\o$-rank over a cyclic extension of $K$ or over a field whose Galois group is one of $\SL_2(\Z/3\Z)$, an extension of $\SL_2(\Z/3\Z)$ by $\Z/2\Z$, or a central extension by the dihedral group. Finally, we discuss the relation of the above results to the vanishing of $L$-functions.