[Math] transcendence of periods of CM elliptic curves

ag.algebraic-geometrycomplex multiplicationelliptic-curves

Let $E$ be an elliptic curve over $\overline{\mathbb{Q}}$ defined by a Weierstrass equation
$$
y^2=4x^3+g_2x+g_3.
$$ Then $H^1_{dR}(E/\overline{\mathbb{Q}})$ is spanned by the classes of the differential forms $\omega_1=\frac{dx}{y}$ and $\omega_2=x\frac{dx}{y}$ and "the" period matrix of $E$ consists of the four numbers
$$
\int_{\gamma_i} \omega_j
$$ where $\gamma_1, \gamma_2$ are generators of $H_1(E(\mathbb{C}), \mathbb{Q})$.

Theorem. The degree of transcendence of the field spanned by these numbers is at least $2$.

I am trying to understand why this implies that $\int_\gamma \omega_1$ and $\int_\gamma \omega_2$ are algebraically independent whenever $E$ has complex multiplication. This will follow if one shows that the ratio between periods attached to the same differential form is algebraic.

For $\omega_1$ I can see what's going on: by uniformization,
$$
E(\mathbb{C}) \simeq \mathbb{C} / \mathbb{Z} \oplus \mathbb{Z} \tau
$$ for some $\tau$ in the upper half plane. Complex multiplication forces $\tau$ to be imaginary quadratic. The differential form $\omega_1$ corresponds to $dz$ on the complex torus and the periods become $\int_0^1 dz=1$ and $\int_0^\tau dz=\tau$, so the quotient is $\tau$ which is algebraic.

What about the other differential form? I know that $\omega_2=x \frac{dx}{y}$ corresponds to $\mathcal{P}(z)dz$ where $\mathcal{P}$ is the Weierstrass function attached to the lattice. Then the periods $\int_{\gamma_i} \omega_2$ are minus the periods of $\zeta$, the primitive of $-\mathcal{P}$. Why their quotient is algebraic in this situation?

Best Answer

For the elliptic curve $E$ in the original post, we have two periods $\lambda_i = \int_{\gamma_i} \frac{dx}{y}$, $i=1,2$, and quasi-periods $\eta_i = \int_{\gamma_i} \frac{x\,dx}{y}$, $i=1,2$.

Theorem (Schneider 1936): Assume that $E$ is defined over $\overline{\mathbb{Q}}$. I.e., $g_2$, $g_3 \in \overline{\mathbb{Q}}$.

  1. Each of $\lambda_1$, $\lambda_2$, $\eta_1$, $\eta_2$ is transcendental over $\mathbb{Q}$.
  2. If $E$ does not have CM, then $\tau := \lambda_1/\lambda_2$ is transcendental over $\mathbb{Q}$.
  3. If $E$ has CM, then $\mathbb{Q}(\tau)$ is an imaginary quadratic field.

Schneider's results were improved over the years, starting with work of Baker, Coates, and Masser, to results on $\overline{\mathbb{Q}}$-linear combinations of periods, quasi-periods, and elliptic logarithms. Parts 2 and 3 of the following theorem should settle the original question.

Theorem (Masser 1975): Again assume that $E$ is defined over $\overline{\mathbb{Q}}$. Let $V$ be the $\overline{\mathbb{Q}}$-linear span of the six numbers $1$, $\pi$, $\lambda_1$, $\lambda_2$, $\eta_1$, and $\eta_2$.

  1. If $E$ does not have CM, then $\dim_{\overline{\mathbb{Q}}} V = 6$.
  2. If $E$ has CM, then $\dim_{\overline{\mathbb{Q}}} V = 4$.
  3. If $E$ has CM, then the three numbers $\eta_1$, $\eta_2$, and $\lambda_1$ are linearly dependent over $\overline{\mathbb{Q}}$, and the ratio $\eta_1/\eta_2$ is transcendental over $\mathbb{Q}$ if and only if $g_2g_3 \neq 0$.

A couple of further comments:

  • Masser's results appear in his book "Elliptic Functions and Transcendence," Springer Lecture Notes 437, 1975.
  • For further accounts of these types of results and their history, I highly recommend Waldschmidt's articles "Transcendence of periods: the state of the art," Pure Appl. Math. Q. 2 (2006), no. 2, part 2, 435-463, and "Elliptic functions and transcendence," Surveys in number theory, Dev. Math. 17, Springer, 2008, pp. 143-188. Both are available on his web page.
  • The theorem alluded to in the original post, stating that the transcendence degree of $\overline{\mathbb{Q}}(\lambda_1,\lambda_2,\eta_1,\eta_2)$ over $\overline{\mathbb{Q}}$ is at least $2$ (with or without CM), is due to G. V. Chudnovsky (1976).
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