Computing the number of certain Galois representations mod pp

Using the link between mod $p$ Galois representations of \qu and mod $p$ modular forms established by Serre's Conjecture, we compute, for every prime $p\leq 1999$, a lower bound for the number of isomorphism classes of continuous Galois representation of \qu on a two--dimensional vector space over \fbar which are irreducible, odd, and unramified outside $p$.Comment: 28 pages, 3 table

Universal deformation rings and generalized quaternion defect groups

We determine the universal deformation ring R(G,V) of certain mod 2 representations V of a finite group G which belong to a 2-modular block of G whose defect groups are isomorphic to a generalized quaternion group D. We show that for these V, a question raised by the author and Chinburg concerning the relation of R(G,V) to D has an affirmative answer. We also show that R(G,V) is a complete intersection even though R(G/N,V) need not be for certain normal subgroups N of G which act trivially on V.Comment: 20 pages, 6 figures. The paper has been updated as follows: The results remain true for more general 2-modular blocks with generalized quaternion defect groups (see the introduction and Hypothesis 3.1). Sections 4 and 5 have been swapped

Universal deformation rings and tame blocks

Let k be an algebraically closed field of positive characteristic, and let W be the ring of infinite Witt vectors over k. Suppose G is a finite group and B is a block of kG of infinite tame representation type. We find all finitely generated kG-modules V that belong to B and whose endomorphism ring is isomorphic to k and determine the universal deformation ring R(G,V) for each of these modules.Comment: 14 page

On the evaluation of modular polynomials

We present two algorithms that, given a prime ell and an elliptic curve E/Fq, directly compute the polynomial Phi_ell(j(E),Y) in Fq[Y] whose roots are the j-invariants of the elliptic curves that are ell-isogenous to E. We do not assume that the modular polynomial Phi_ell(X,Y) is given. The algorithms may be adapted to handle other types of modular polynomials, and we consider applications to point counting and the computation of endomorphism rings. We demonstrate the practical efficiency of the algorithms by setting a new point-counting record, modulo a prime q with more than 5,000 decimal digits, and by evaluating a modular polynomial of level ell = 100,019.Comment: 19 pages, corrected a typo in equation (8) and added equation (9