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p-adic properties of division polynomials and elliptic divisibility sequences

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Abstract.

For a fixed rational point PE (K) on an elliptic curve, we consider the sequence of values (F n (P)) n 1 of the division polynomials of E at P. For a finite field we prove that the sequence is periodic. For a local field we prove (under certain hypotheses) that there is a power q=pe so that for all m≥1, the limit of exists in K and is algebraic over We apply this result to prove an analogous p-adic limit and algebraicity result for elliptic divisibility sequences.

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Correspondence to Joseph H. Silverman.

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Mathematics Subject Classification (1991): 11G07, 11D61, 14G20, 14H52

The author’s research supported by NSA grant H98230-04-1-0064.

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Silverman, J. p-adic properties of division polynomials and elliptic divisibility sequences. Math. Ann. 332, 443–471 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00208-004-0608-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00208-004-0608-0

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