Synopses & Reviews
This book is an introduction to the theory of elliptic curves, ranging from its most elementary aspects to current research. The first part, which grew out of Tate's Haverford lectures, covers the elementary arithmetic theory of elliptic curves over the rationals. The next two chapters recast the arguments used in the proof of the Mordell theorem into the context of Galois cohomology and descent theory. This is followed by three chapters on the analytic theory of elliptic curves, including such topics as elliptic functions, theta functions, and modular functions. Next, the theory of endomorphisms and elliptic curves over infinite and local fields are discussed. The book then continues by providing a survey of results in the arithmetic theory, especially those related to the conjecture of the Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer. This new edition contains three new chapters which explore recent directions and extensions of the theory of elliptic curves and the addition of two new appendices. The first appendix, written by Stefan Theisan, examines the role of Calabi-Yau manifolds in string theory, while the second, by Otto Forster, discusses the use of elliptic curves in computing theory and coding theory. Dale Husemöller is a member of the faculty at the Max Planck Institute of Mathematics in Bonn.
Review
From the reviews of the second edition: "Husemöller's text was and is the great first introduction to the world of elliptic curves ... and a good guide to the current research literature as well. ... this second edition builds on the original in several ways. ... it has certainly gained a good deal of topicality, appeal, power of inspiration, and educational value for a wider public. No doubt, this text will maintain its role as both a useful primer and a passionate invitation to the evergreen theory of elliptic curves and their applications" (Werner Kleinert, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1040, 2004)
Review
From the reviews of the second edition:
"Husemöller's text was and is the great first introduction to the world of elliptic curves ... and a good guide to the current research literature as well. ... this second edition builds on the original in several ways. ... it has certainly gained a good deal of topicality, appeal, power of inspiration, and educational value for a wider public. No doubt, this text will maintain its role as both a useful primer and a passionate invitation to the evergreen theory of elliptic curves and their applications" (Werner Kleinert, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1040, 2004)
Synopsis
There are three new appendices, one by Stefan Theisen on the role of Calabi Yau manifolds in string theory and one by Otto Forster on the use of elliptic curves in computing theory and coding theory. In the third appendix we discuss the role of elliptic curves in homotopy theory. In these three introductions the reader can get a clue to the far-reaching implications of the theory of elliptic curves in mathematical sciences. During the ?nal production of this edition, the ICM 2002 manuscript of Mike Hopkins became available. This report outlines the role of elliptic curves in ho- topy theory. Elliptic curves appear in the form of the Weierstasse equation and its related changes of variable. The equations and the changes of variable are coded in an algebraic structure called a Hopf algebroid, and this Hopf algebroid is related to a cohomology theory called topological modular forms. Hopkins and his coworkers have used this theory in several directions, one being the explanation of elements in stable homotopy up to degree 60. In the third appendix we explain how what we described in Chapter 3 leads to the Weierstrass Hopf algebroid making a link with Hopkins paper."
Synopsis
This book is an introduction to the theory of elliptic curves, ranging from its most elementary aspects to current research. This manuscript grew out of Tate's Haverford Lectures. For the second edition, the author has written three new chapters and there are also two new appendices which were written by S. Theisen and O. Forster.
Synopsis
First Edition sold over 2500 copies in the Americas; New Edition contains three new chapters and two new appendices
Table of Contents
Introduction to Rational Points on Plane Curves * Elementary Properties of the Chord-Tangent Group Law on a Cubic Curve * Plane Algebraic Curves * Factorial Rings and Elimination Theory * Elliptic Curves and Their Isomorphism * Families of Elliptic Curves and Geometric Properties of Torsion Points * Reduction mod p and Torsion Points * Proof of Mordell's Finite Generation Theorem * Galois Cohomology and Isomorphism Classification of Elliptic Curves over Arbitrary Fields * Descent and Galois Cohomology * Elliptic and Hypergeometric Functions * Theta Functions * Modular Functions * Endomorphisms of Elliptic Curves * Elliptic Curves over Finite Fields * Elliptic Curves over Local Fields * Elliptic Curves over Global Fields and l-adic Representations * L-Functions of an Elliptic Curve and Its Analytic Continuation * Remarks on the Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer Conjecture * Remarks on the Modular Curves Conjecture and Fermat's Last Theorem * Higher Dimensional Analogs of Elliptic Curves: Calabi-Yau Varieties * Families of Elliptic Curves * Appendix I: Calabi-Yau Manifolds and String Theory * Appendix II: Elliptic Curves in Algorithmic Number Theory * Appendix III: Guide to the Exercises * Bibliography * Index