Practical improvements to class group and regulator computation of real quadratic fields

We present improvements to the index-calculus algorithm for the computation of the ideal class group and regulator of a real quadratic field. Our improvements consist of applying the double large prime strategy, an improved structured Gaussian elimination strategy, and the use of Bernstein's batch smoothness algorithm. We achieve a significant speed-up and are able to compute the ideal class group structure and the regulator corresponding to a number field with a 110-decimal digit discriminant

Computing Hilbert class polynomials with the Chinese Remainder Theorem

We present a space-efficient algorithm to compute the Hilbert class polynomial H_D(X) modulo a positive integer P, based on an explicit form of the Chinese Remainder Theorem. Under the Generalized Riemann Hypothesis, the algorithm uses O(|D|^(1/2+o(1))log P) space and has an expected running time of O(|D|^(1+o(1)). We describe practical optimizations that allow us to handle larger discriminants than other methods, with |D| as large as 10^13 and h(D) up to 10^6. We apply these results to construct pairing-friendly elliptic curves of prime order, using the CM method.Comment: 37 pages, corrected a typo that misstated the heuristic complexit

Deterministic elliptic curve primality proving for a special sequence of numbers

We give a deterministic algorithm that very quickly proves the primality or compositeness of the integers N in a certain sequence, using an elliptic curve E/Q with complex multiplication by the ring of integers of Q(sqrt(-7)). The algorithm uses O(log N) arithmetic operations in the ring Z/NZ, implying a bit complexity that is quasi-quadratic in log N. Notably, neither of the classical "N-1" or "N+1" primality tests apply to the integers in our sequence. We discuss how this algorithm may be applied, in combination with sieving techniques, to efficiently search for very large primes. This has allowed us to prove the primality of several integers with more than 100,000 decimal digits, the largest of which has more than a million bits in its binary representation. At the time it was found, it was the largest proven prime N for which no significant partial factorization of N-1 or N+1 is known.Comment: 16 pages, corrected a minor sign error in 5.

Levels of Distribution and the Affine Sieve

This article is an expanded version of the author's lecture in the Basic Notions Seminar at Harvard, September 2013. Our goal is a brief and introductory exposition of aspects of two topics in sieve theory which have received attention recently: (1) the spectacular work of Yitang Zhang, under the title "Level of Distribution," and (2) the so-called "Affine Sieve," introduced by Bourgain-Gamburd-Sarnak.Comment: 34 pages, 2 figure

Algorithms on Ideal over Complex Multiplication order

We show in this paper that the Gentry-Szydlo algorithm for cyclotomic orders, previously revisited by Lenstra-Silverberg, can be extended to complex-multiplication (CM) orders, and even to a more general structure. This algorithm allows to test equality over the polarized ideal class group, and finds a generator of the polarized ideal in polynomial time. Also, the algorithm allows to solve the norm equation over CM orders and the recent reduction of principal ideals to the real suborder can also be performed in polynomial time. Furthermore, we can also compute in polynomial time a unit of an order of any number field given a (not very precise) approximation of it. Our description of the Gentry-Szydlo algorithm is different from the original and Lenstra- Silverberg's variant and we hope the simplifications made will allow a deeper understanding. Finally, we show that the well-known speed-up for enumeration and sieve algorithms for ideal lattices over power of two cyclotomics can be generalized to any number field with many roots of unity.Comment: Full version of a paper submitted to ANT

Density of rational points on isotrivial rational elliptic surfaces

For a large class of isotrivial rational elliptic surfaces (with section), we show that the set of rational points is dense for the Zariski topology, by carefully studying variations of root numbers among the fibers of these surfaces. We also prove that these surfaces satisfy a variant of weak-weak approximation. Our results are conditional on the finiteness of Tate-Shafarevich groups for elliptic curves over the field of rational numbers.Comment: Latex; 26 pages. To appear in Algebra and Number Theor