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Next: Serre mod pq table Up: Exploration of a mod pq Previous: N=11, M=23:

   
Is every $\rho $ modular?

As in Mazur's letter (Section 1.1), consider f,g,p,q with f, g of level N, M, respectively. Suppose that there is no form h at level NM such that $h \equiv f\pmod{p}$ and $h\equiv g\pmod{q}$ (congruence as in Section 1.2). Our choice of p and q implies that there is h1 and h2 at level NM such that $h_1 \equiv f\pmod{p}$ and $h_2\equiv g\pmod{q}$. Using the Cebotarev Density Theorem (see e.g., [Lan94, VIII.4]) and Ribet's level raising theorem [Rib90] we see that there are infinitely many primes $\ell$ for which there exists newforms b1 and b2 at level $NM\ell$ such that $b_1 \equiv h_1\pmod{p}$ and $b_2\equiv h_2\pmod{q}$. Does b1=b2 in one of these infinitely many cases? More generally, begin with two newforms fand g both of some level N and consider the infinitely many primes $\ell$ such that there exists h1 and h2of level $N\ell$ with $h_1 \equiv f\pmod{p}$ and $h_2\equiv g\pmod{q}$. Must there always be an $\ell$so that we can take h1=h2? If yes, then every mod pqrepresentation is modular; at least, if we admit the classical Serre conjectures.

Answers to the above questions may be viewed as a generalization of Ribet's level raising machinery [Rib90]. The introduction of two primes at once obscures the algebraic interpretation in terms of ideals of the Hecke algebra; making it appear necessary to find new arguments. For this reason, the author suspects that there are non-modular mod pq representations. Even if not all mod pq representations are modular, the question remains of finding the minimal weight and level of those which are.


next up previous
Next: Serre mod pq table Up: Exploration of a mod pq Previous: N=11, M=23:
William A. Stein
1999-08-31