J-invariantIn mathematics, Felix Klein's j-invariant or j function, regarded as a function of a complex variable τ, is a modular function of weight zero for SL(2, Z) defined on the upper half-plane of complex numbers. It is the unique such function which is holomorphic away from a simple pole at the cusp such that Rational functions of j are modular, and in fact give all modular functions. Classically, the j-invariant was studied as a parameterization of elliptic curves over C, but it also has surprising connections to the symmetries of the Monster group (this connection is referred to as monstrous moonshine).
Cusp formIn number theory, a branch of mathematics, a cusp form is a particular kind of modular form with a zero constant coefficient in the Fourier series expansion. A cusp form is distinguished in the case of modular forms for the modular group by the vanishing of the constant coefficient a0 in the Fourier series expansion (see q-expansion) This Fourier expansion exists as a consequence of the presence in the modular group's action on the upper half-plane via the transformation For other groups, there may be some translation through several units, in which case the Fourier expansion is in terms of a different parameter.
Elliptic curveIn mathematics, an elliptic curve is a smooth, projective, algebraic curve of genus one, on which there is a specified point O. An elliptic curve is defined over a field K and describes points in K^2, the Cartesian product of K with itself. If the field's characteristic is different from 2 and 3, then the curve can be described as a plane algebraic curve which consists of solutions (x, y) for: for some coefficients a and b in K. The curve is required to be non-singular, which means that the curve has no cusps or self-intersections.
Weil conjecturesIn mathematics, the Weil conjectures were highly influential proposals by . They led to a successful multi-decade program to prove them, in which many leading researchers developed the framework of modern algebraic geometry and number theory. The conjectures concern the generating functions (known as local zeta functions) derived from counting points on algebraic varieties over finite fields. A variety V over a finite field with q elements has a finite number of rational points (with coordinates in the original field), as well as points with coordinates in any finite extension of the original field.
Jean-Pierre SerreJean-Pierre Serre (sɛʁ; born 15 September 1926) is a French mathematician who has made contributions to algebraic topology, algebraic geometry and algebraic number theory. He was awarded the Fields Medal in 1954, the Wolf Prize in 2000 and the inaugural Abel Prize in 2003. Born in Bages, Pyrénées-Orientales, to pharmacist parents, Serre was educated at the Lycée de Nîmes and then from 1945 to 1948 at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris. He was awarded his doctorate from the Sorbonne in 1951.
Upper half-planeIn mathematics, the upper half-plane, is the set of points in the Cartesian plane with The lower half-plane is defined similarly, by requiring that be negative instead. Each is an example of two-dimensional half-space. The affine transformations of the upper half-plane include shifts , , and dilations , . Proposition: Let and be semicircles in the upper half-plane with centers on the boundary. Then there is an affine mapping that takes to . Proof: First shift the center of to . Then take and dilate.
Moduli spaceIn mathematics, in particular algebraic geometry, a moduli space is a geometric space (usually a scheme or an algebraic stack) whose points represent algebro-geometric objects of some fixed kind, or isomorphism classes of such objects. Such spaces frequently arise as solutions to classification problems: If one can show that a collection of interesting objects (e.g., the smooth algebraic curves of a fixed genus) can be given the structure of a geometric space, then one can parametrize such objects by introducing coordinates on the resulting space.
Hecke operatorIn mathematics, in particular in the theory of modular forms, a Hecke operator, studied by , is a certain kind of "averaging" operator that plays a significant role in the structure of vector spaces of modular forms and more general automorphic representations. used Hecke operators on modular forms in a paper on the special cusp form of Ramanujan, ahead of the general theory given by .
Fundamental pair of periodsIn mathematics, a fundamental pair of periods is an ordered pair of complex numbers that defines a lattice in the complex plane. This type of lattice is the underlying object with which elliptic functions and modular forms are defined. A fundamental pair of periods is a pair of complex numbers such that their ratio is not real. If considered as vectors in , the two are not collinear. The lattice generated by and is This lattice is also sometimes denoted as to make clear that it depends on and It is also sometimes denoted by or or simply by The two generators and are called the lattice basis.
Congruence subgroupIn mathematics, a congruence subgroup of a matrix group with integer entries is a subgroup defined by congruence conditions on the entries. A very simple example would be invertible 2 × 2 integer matrices of determinant 1, in which the off-diagonal entries are even. More generally, the notion of congruence subgroup can be defined for arithmetic subgroups of algebraic groups; that is, those for which we have a notion of 'integral structure' and can define reduction maps modulo an integer.
