Prime divisors of sequences associated to elliptic curves

Let $\{nP+Q\}_{n\geq0}$ be a sequence of points on an elliptic curve defined over a number field $K$. In this paper, we study the denominators of the $x$-coordinates of this sequence. We prove that, if $Q$ is a torsion point of prime order, then for $n$ large enough there always exists a primitive divisor. Later on, we show the link between the study of the primitive divisors and the Lang-Trotter conjecture.

Silverman proved the analogue of Zsigmondy's Theorem for elliptic divisibility sequences. For elliptic curves in global minimal form, it seems likely this result is true in a uniform manner. We present such a result for certain infinite families of curves and points. Our methods allow the first explicit examples of the elliptic Zsigmondy Theorem to be exhibited.

We consider a particular case of an analog for elliptic curves to the Mersenne problem : finding explicitely all prime power terms in an elliptic divisibility sequence when descent via isogeny is possible. We explain how this question can be related to classical problems in diophantine geometry and we compute an explicit upper bound on the index of prime power terms in magnified elliptic divisibility sequences.

Let $P$ be a non-torsion point on an elliptic curve defined over a number field $K$ and consider the sequence $\{B_n\}_{n\in \mathbb{N}}$ of the denominators of $x(nP)$. We prove that every term of the sequence of the $B_n$ has a primitive divisor for $n$ greater than an effectively computable constant that we will explicitly compute. This constant will depend only on the model defining the curve.

An elliptic divisibility sequence, generated by a point in the image of a rational isogeny, is shown to possess a uniformly bounded number of prime terms. This result applies over the rational numbers, assuming Lang's conjecture, and over the rational function field, unconditionally. In the latter case, a uniform bound is obtained on the index of a prime term. Sharpened versions of these techniques are shown to lead to explicit results where all the irreducible terms can be c...

We prove an optimal Zsigmondy bound for elliptic divisibility sequences over function fields in case the $j$-invariant of the elliptic curve is constant. In more detail, given an elliptic curve $E$ with a point $P$ of infinite order, the sequence $D_1$, $D_2, \ldots$ of denominators of multiples $P$, $2P,\ldots$ of $P$ is a strong divisibility sequence in the sense that $\gcd(D_m, D_n) = D_{\gcd(m,n)}$. This is the genus-one analogue of the genus-zero Fibonacci, Lucas and Leh...

The Somos-5 sequence is defined by $a_{0} = a_{1} = a_{2} = a_{3} = a_{4} = 1$ and $a_{m} = \frac{a_{m-1} a_{m-4} + a_{m-2} a_{m-3}}{a_{m-5}}$ for $m \geq 5$. We relate the arithmetic of the Somos-5 sequence to the elliptic curve $E : y^{2} + xy = x^{3} + x^{2} - 2x$ and use properties of Galois representations attached to $E$ to prove the density of primes $p$ dividing some term in the Somos-5 sequence is equal to $\frac{5087}{10752}$.

The Fermat numbers have many notable properties, including order universality, coprimality, and definition by a recurrence relation. We use arbitrary elliptic curves and rational points of infinite order to generate sequences that are analogous to the Fermat numbers. We demonstrate that these sequences have many of the same properties as the Fermat numbers, and we discuss results about the prime factors of sequences generated by specific curves and points.

We study the existence of primes and of primitive divisors in classical divisibility sequences defined over function fields. Under various hypotheses, we prove that Lucas sequences and elliptic divisibility sequences over function fields defined over number fields contain infinitely many irreducible elements. We also prove that an elliptic divisibility sequence over a function field has only finitely many terms lacking a primitive divisor.

Take a rational elliptic curve defined by the equation $y^2=x^3+ax$ in minimal form and consider the sequence $B_n$ of the denominators of the abscissas of the iterate of a non-torsion point; we show that $B_{5m}$ has a primitive divisor for every $m$. Then, we show how to generalize this method to the terms in the form $B_{mp}$ with $p$ a prime congruent to $1$ modulo $4$.