Generating functions for power moments of elliptic curves over $\mathbb{F}_p$

TL;DR

This paper derives a simple expression for the generating function of power moments of Frobenius traces of elliptic curves over finite fields, extending previous formulas and exploring applications in number theory.

Contribution

It provides a new, simplified formula for the zeta function of power moments, generalizing earlier results and enabling applications to Hecke operators and congruences.

Findings

Derived a simple rational expression for the zeta function of power moments.

Connected power moments to traces of Hecke operators in modular forms.

Established congruence relations for power moments using known trace congruences.

Abstract

Seminal works by Birch and Ihara gave formulas for the $m$th power moments of the traces of Frobenius endomorphisms of elliptic curves over $\mathbb{F}_{p}$ for primes $p \geq 5$. Recent works by Kaplan and Petrow generalized these results to the setting of elliptic curves that contain a subgroup isomorphic to a fixed finite abelian group $A$. We revisit these formulas and determine a simple expression for the zeta function $Z_p(A; t)$, the generating function for these $m$th power moments. In particular, we find that \[ Z_p(A;t) = \frac{\widehat{Z}_p(A; t)}{\displaystyle \prod_{a \in \textrm{Frob}_p(A)}(1 - at)},\] where $\textrm{Frob}_p(A) := \{ a \, \colon -2\sqrt{p} \leq a \leq 2\sqrt{p}\, \text{ and } a \equiv p+1 \pmod{|A|}\}$, and $\widehat{Z}_p(A;t)$ is an easily computed polynomial that is determined by the first $\Big\lceil\frac{2\lfloor 2\sqrt{p}\rfloor}{|A|}\Big\rceil$ power moments. These rational zeta functions have two natural applications. We find rational generating functions in weight aspect for traces of Hecke operators on $S_k(\Gamma)$ for various congruence subgroups $\Gamma$. We also prove congruence relations for power moments by making use of known congruences for traces of Hecke operators.