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For an elliptic curve over a local field with integral Minimal Weierstrass equation, let $E_0(K)$ consist of points with nonsingular reduction and let $E_1(K)$ be the kernel of $E_0(K)\to {\tilde{E}}_{\mathrm{ns}}(k)$. This definition also applies at a prime of bad reduction of an elliptic curve. The point at infinity is always smooth. With $t=-x/y$ and $w=-1/y$, the Weierstrass equation of an elliptic curve becomesThe unit linear coefficient in $w$ gives a unique integral formal power series $w(t)=t^3+O(t^4)$. Then $x=t/w$ and $y=-1/w$, so the nonidentity points of $E_1(K)$ have $v(x)=-2r$ and $v(y)=-3r$ for $r=v(t)>0$. The local parameter $t$ bijects $E_1(K)$ with ${\mathfrak{m}}_K$ and turns its addition into the formal group of an elliptic curve. At good reduction this agrees with the kernel of reduction of an elliptic curve.

For an elliptic curve with good reduction over a local field, the kernel of reduction consists of the points reducing to the identity. The parameter $t=-x/y$ identifies it with the maximal ideal equipped with the formal group of an elliptic curve.

A good reduction in characteristic $p$ is ordinary when the geometric $p$-torsion has $p$ points, equivalently its formal group of an elliptic curve has height one. For a CM elliptic curve, a good prime split in its CM field is ordinary. One of the two roots of $X^2-a_{p}X+p$ is a $p$-adic unit, enabling the bounded ordinary p-adic L-function.

Let $L/{\mathbb{Q}}_p$ be finite, with ring of integers ${\mathcal{O}}_L$ and maximal ideal ${\mathfrak{m}}_L$. The formal group of an elliptic curve on an integral Weierstrass model is a formal group law $F(X,Y)\in {\mathcal{O}}_L[[X,Y]]$, and $\hat{E}(L)$ denotes its points with parameter in ${\mathfrak{m}}_L$. Its multiplication series isSince $p\nmid m$, the linear coefficient $m$ is a unit. Construct a compositional inverse $g(T)=m^{-1}T+{\sum }_{j\ge 2}{b}_j{T}^j$ recursively: at degree $j$, the coefficient of $b_j$ in $[m{]}_F(g(T))$ is $m$, so the equation making that degree vanish uniquely determines $b_j\in {\mathcal{O}}_L$. The inverse on the other side is the same series, by uniqueness of formal composition inverses.

Both series converge on ${\mathfrak{m}}_L$, since their coefficients are integral and powers of an element of ${\mathfrak{m}}_L$ tend to zero. Their formal identities therefore hold as identities of convergent values. Thus for every $P$ there is a unique $Q$ with $[m]Q=P$, andThis proves unique divisibility for every finite extension, including ramified extensions and negative $m$. It uses prime-to-residue-characteristic multiplication on a formal group, not an unjustified logarithm isomorphism on the entire maximal ideal.

Now assume good reduction of an elliptic curve. For a finite local extension $M$, the reduction sequence isProperness defines reduction for all points, smoothness and the Hensel lemma make it surjective, and its kernel is precisely the formal group. Let $K$ be the maximal unramified extension and take $P\in E(K)$. Its coordinates lie in a finite unramified extension $L/{\mathbb{Q}}_p$. Over the algebraic closure of the residue field, the isogeny $[m]$ is surjective, so choose $\overline{Q}$ with $[m]\overline{Q}=\tilde{P}$. This residue point is defined over a finite residue extension. Choose the corresponding finite unramified extension $M/L$ inside $K$, and lift it to $Q_0\in E(M)$ by smooth reduction.

Then $P-[m]Q_0$ lies in the reduction kernel. The first argument gives a unique kernel point $R$ with $[m]R=P-[m]Q_0$. Hence $Q=Q_0+R\in E(M)\subseteq E(K)$ satisfies $[m]Q=P$. ConsequentlyEvery lifting and convergence argument was made in a finite complete extension; $K$ itself need not be complete. Unique divisibility is asserted only for the formal group. For $|m|>1$, good reduction also lifts the prime-to-$p$ torsion, so $E(K)$ has nonzero $m$-torsion and division there is not unique. The construction is unramified division points at good reduction.

Work near the identity $O$ of a generalized Weierstrass equation of an elliptic curve. On the projective chart where $Y\ne 0$, use the local parameter $t=-x/y$ and the auxiliary coordinate $w=-1/y$. Substitution givesThe coefficient of $w$ in the linearized equation at $(0,0)$ is one. Consequently, successive coefficient comparison determines a unique formal power series $w(t)$, without dividing by any coefficient of the equation. Its initial terms areRecover the affine coordinates as Laurent series $x=t/w(t)$ and $y=-1/w(t)$; in particular $x=t^{-2}+O(t^{-1})$ and $y=-t^{-3}+O(t^{-2})$.

The elliptic curve group law is a regular morphism near $(O,O)$. Applying the local parameter to the sum and passing to completed local rings producesOne can construct the series without any nonunit division. PutThe divided difference is an integral formal power series, including its tangent line specialization at $T_1=T_2$. The line $w=\lambda t+\nu$ meets the cubic in the two chosen points and a third point $R$. Substitution in the equation shows that its cubic and quadratic coefficients in $t$ are $-A,-B$, whereSince $\lambda$ has total degree at least two and $\nu$ at least three, $A$ is a unit. The sum of the roots therefore givesThe last expression reflects the third intersection according to the chord-and-tangent group law. Both denominators have constant term one. This proves integrality of the universal construction and also provides an explicit coefficient algorithm. Expanding it, the resulting formal group of an elliptic curve beginsThe integral coefficient recursion and the unit-denominator addition calculation work universally over $\mathbb{Z}[a_1,a_2,a_3,a_4,a_6]$; thus these coefficients specialize in every characteristic of a field. This is the initial coefficients of the elliptic formal group at infinity construction, rather than a definition requiring division by the elliptic-curve discriminant.

The identity, commutativity and associativity of the elliptic curve group law give the defining identities of a one-dimensional commutative formal group law:Reflection in the generalized Weierstrass equation of an elliptic curve gives its formal inverse explicitly:Successive addition gives the multiplication series $[n{]}_F(T)=nT+O(T^2)$.

In characteristic zero, an especially useful description comes from the invariant differential on an elliptic curve:Integrating with zero constant term constructs the formal logarithmTranslation invariance of the invariant differential on an elliptic curve implies $L(F(X,Y))=L(X)+L(Y)$. Thus the formal logarithm converts the formal group law into the formal additive group in characteristic zero. Expanding this identity to degree three also recovers the displayed coefficients of $F$; in positive characteristic the integral addition construction remains valid although the logarithmic denominators may not exist.

Near $O$, put $t=-x/y$ and $w=-1/y$, or projectively $t=-X/Y$, $w=-Z/Y$. The integral Weierstrass equation of an elliptic curve becomesThe linear coefficient of $w$ at the origin is a unit, so successive coefficient comparison gives a unique series $w(t)\in {\mathbb{Z}}_p[[t]]$ beginning $t^3$. Expressing the addition morphism in the local parameters of its two inputs givesIts identity, inverse, commutativity and associativity identities follow from the corresponding elliptic group identities. This one-dimensional commutative formal group law is the formal group of an elliptic curve $\hat{E}$ attached to the model.

A point reducing to $O$ lies in the chart with $Y$ a unit and has $t,w\in p{\mathbb{Z}}_p$. The implicit equation determines $w$ uniquely from $t$. Conversely every $t\in p{\mathbb{Z}}_p$ gives the convergent solution $w(t)$ and the point $[-t:1:-w(t)]$; $t=0$ gives $O$. Hence the parameter is a bijection from the reduction kernel to $p{\mathbb{Z}}_p$. The series $F$ converges there and describes its addition. ThereforeFor nonzero $t$ with $v_p(t)=r>0$, $w(t)=t^3$ times a unit, so $v_p(x)=-2r$ and $v_p(y)=-3r$. These are the formal kernel of a minimal Weierstrass equation valuations used earlier.

The Hessian criterion for flexes of a plane cubic applied to the defining polynomial givesConsequently the inflection points of a plane cubic on this curve are exactly its intersections with the three coordinate lines. Choose $r\in \overline{\mathbb{Q}}$ with $r^3=d$, and a primitive cube root of unity $\zeta$. The nine distinct flexes of a diagonal cubic areWith the chosen flex as identity, these points are precisely $E_d[3]$. A tangent cutting the Weil divisor $3P$ gives $3(P-O)=0$; conversely $3(P-O)=0$ makes the hyperplane Weil divisor equivalent to $3P$, which supplies a tangent with triple contact. This is the three-torsion points are flexes of a plane cubic correspondence.

On $Z=0$ only $O$ is rational, since the other cube roots of unity are not rational. On each other coordinate line a rational point exists exactly when $d$ is a rational cube, and then exactly one does. ThereforeIn particular the rational torsion subgroup cannot contain two independent points of order $3$.

One can also determine the whole rational torsion of a diagonal cubic. First it is killed by $6$. To see this, use the Weierstrass equation of an elliptic curve from (iii). At primes $\ell \equiv 2(\mathrm{mod}3)$ outside the finite set containing $2,3$ and the prime divisors of the numerator and denominator of $d$, the cube map permutes ${\mathbb{F}}_{\ell }$, sowhere the quadratic character is extended by $\chi (0)=0$, and the character sum vanishes after substituting $t=x^3-432d^2$. Reduction of torsion points on an elliptic curve injects the prime-to-$\ell$ part of rational torsion into this finite group. This injection follows because multiplication by an integer prime to $\ell$ is invertible on the formal group of an elliptic curve, and hence its reduction kernel has no such torsion.

For any prime $q>3$, choose a good $\ell \equiv 2(\mathrm{mod}3)$ with $\ell \equiv 1(\mathrm{mod}q)$; the Dirichlet theorem on primes in arithmetic progressions and the Chinese remainder theorem supply such primes outside the finite bad set. Then $q\nmid \ell +1$, excluding $q$-torsion. Similarly good $\ell \equiv 5(\mathrm{mod}12)$ exclude order $4$, and good $\ell \equiv 11(\mathrm{mod}18)$ exclude order $9$. Thus every rational torsion point has order dividing $6$.

The inversion formula in (i) shows that the only possible nonidentity rational point of order $2$ has $X=Y$ and $Z\ne 0$. It exists precisely when $(X/Z{)}^3=-d/2$, that is, when $d/2$ is a rational cube. There is at most one such point. This condition and $d$ being a cube cannot hold together, since $2$ is not a rational cube. Combining it with the three-torsion calculation gives the full answer:

The Weak Mordell-Weil theorem asserts that $E(K)/mE(K)$ is finite for an elliptic curve over a number field $K$ and an integer $m\ge 2$. The role of (i) is to make division by $m$ possible in the local formal group of an elliptic curve whenever the residue characteristic does not divide $m$.

Let $v$ be a finite place with good reduction of an elliptic curve and $v\nmid m$. The kernel of reduction of an elliptic curve is parametrized by $t=-x/y$ in the maximal ideal of the local valuation ring. Multiplication by $m$ is represented by an integral formal power seriesIts linear coefficient is a local unit. Part (i) supplies an integral compositional inverse. Both series converge on the maximal ideal, so multiplication by $m$ is a bijection on the reduction kernel, over the local field and over every finite unramified extension.

This implies unramified division torsors at good primes. For $P\in E(K)$, first divide its reduction by $m$ over the algebraic closure of the residue field. Multiplication by $m$ on the reduced curve is surjective and separable, so the chosen division point is defined over some finite residue extension. Smooth lifting gives a point $Q_0$ over the corresponding unramified local extension with the required reduction. The difference $P-m{Q}_0$ lies in the reduction kernel; the inverse series supplies $Q_1$ with $m{Q}_1=P-m{Q}_0$. Thus $Q=Q_0+Q_1$ divides $P$ over an unramified extension. Applying the same reasoning to all reduced $m$-torsion points lifts all of $E[m]$, so every point of $[m{]}^{-1}P$ lies in the maximal unramified extension. This excludes ramification outside a fixed finite set $S$ consisting of primes of bad reduction and primes over $m$.

For completeness, the remaining global finiteness step in the Kummer-theoretic proof of the weak Mordell-Weil theorem is as follows. Choose $Q\in E(\overline{K})$ with $mQ=P$. The cocycle $\sigma \mapsto \sigma Q-Q$ defines the Kummer map of an elliptic curveChanging $Q$ by an $m$-torsion point changes the cocycle by a coboundary. A zero class makes $Q$ rational after that change, so the map is injective.

Let $L=K(E[m])$, fixed independently of $P$. Since the torsion is rational over $L$, the cocycle restricted to its Galois group is a homomorphism into $E[m]$. Consequently $L(Q)/L$ is Galois of degree at most $m^2$, contains the entire division fibre, and is unramified outside $S$. Hence $[L(Q):K]\le m^2[L:K]$. There are only finitely many extensions of bounded degree unramified outside a fixed finite set: local extensions of bounded degree have bounded field discriminant exponents, and the Hermite–Minkowski theorem then applies to the bounded global field discriminants. Their finite Galois compositum $M$ contains every such division fibre; each $L(Q)$ is stable over $K$ because it contains $E[m]$ and the whole fibre above the rational point $P$. All the Kummer classes consequently factor through the fixed finite group $\mathrm{Gal}(M/K)$ with values in the fixed finite group $E[m]$. There are only finitely many such cocycles, provingThus (i) provides the local division step that bounds ramification; the global arithmetic finiteness completes the argument.

We bound the torsion subgroups by reduction of torsion points on an elliptic curve. At a prime $p$ of good reduction, reduction is injective on the prime-to-$p$ torsion. Indeed, a point in the kernel is represented by the formal group of an elliptic curve on the maximal ideal. Multiplication by an integer prime to $p$ has a unit linear coefficient and is invertible there, so the kernel has no nonzero torsion of such order.

Both curves have good reduction at $2$ and $5$. For $E$ this follows from $\Delta =-91^3$, which is a unit at both primes. For $E^{\prime }$ at $2$, its reduction is $x^3+y^3+z^3=0$ and its three partial derivatives cannot vanish at a projective point. At $5$, the singularity calculation in part (i) would require $351-8=343$ to vanish modulo $5$, which it does not; $3$ and $13$ are also units there.

Direct counting gives:

For $E$ over ${\mathbb{F}}_5$, the numbers of ordinate solutions at $x=0,1,2,3,4$ are $2,2,2,2,0$. For $E^{\prime }$ in the chart $z=1$, they are $1,2,0,3,2$, with the single infinity point $(1:-1:0)$. These give the displayed totals without identifying the finite-field groups through the given isogeny of elliptic curves.

For either rational torsion subgroup, every odd-primary part injects at $2$, so the whole odd torsion has order dividing three. The two-primary part injects at $5$ and must be trivial, since the reduced group has odd order nine. Thus either rational torsion subgroup has order at most three. For $E$, the point $P$ already has order three, soFor the plane cubic $E^{\prime }$, the chosen identity $O^{\prime }$ is a plane cubic flex. The fact that three-torsion points are flexes of a plane cubic therefore identifies $E^{\prime }[3]$ with its nine geometric flexes. Part (i) found only the identity among the rational flexes. No nonidentity rational three-torsion exists, and the preceding bound excludes every other order. HenceThis also illustrates that isogenous elliptic curves can have different rational point groups; the given degree-three isogeny does not imply equality of rational torsion.

Reduce $P$ to $\overline{P}\in \tilde{E}({\mathbb{F}}_p)$. Because $p\nmid n$, the multiplication-by-n morphism on the reduced elliptic curve is a separable, surjective morphism of degree $n^2$. Choose a point $\overline{Q}\in \tilde{E}({\overline{\mathbb{F}}}_p)$ with $n\overline{Q}=\overline{P}$. Its coordinates lie in some finite field ${\mathbb{F}}_{p^d}$.

Let $L/{\mathbb{Q}}_p$ be the finite unramified extension with residue field ${\mathbb{F}}_{p^d}$. The curve retains good reduction over $L$. Its smooth integral model and the Hensel lemma give surjectivity of good reduction over a local field, so lift $\overline{Q}$ to some $Q_0\in E(L)$. This lift need not satisfy $n{Q}_0=P$ exactly, but its errorhas zero reduction and belongs to $E_1(L)$, the kernel of reduction of an elliptic curve.

The parameter $t=-x/y$ at infinity identifies $E_1(L)$ with the maximal ideal ${\mathfrak{m}}_L$ equipped with the formal group of an elliptic curve. The integral power series for $[n]$ and its inverse from part (i) remain integral over ${\mathcal{O}}_L$. They converge on ${\mathfrak{m}}_L$: terms of degree $k$ tend to zero in valuation because their coefficients are integral and the argument has positive valuation. Hence multiplication by $n$ is bijective on $E_1(L)$. Choose its unique solution $T\in E_1(L)$ to $nT=R$, and put $Q=Q_0+T$. ThenThe residue-field extension supplies a division point modulo $p$, and the formal-group inverse corrects the error without introducing ramification. This is the local construction underlying the uniform unramified division field over a local field and unramified division torsors at good primes.

Galois cohomology and finite quotients. Let $k$ be a number field and $G_k=\mathrm{Gal}(\overline{k}/k)$ its absolute Galois group. For a discrete abelian $G_k$-module $M$, $H^0(k,M)=M^{G_k}$. A continuous 1-cocycle is a map $c:G_k\to M$ with $c_{\sigma \tau }=c_{\sigma }+\sigma c_{\tau }$; a coboundary has the form $c_{\sigma }=\sigma m-m$. Their quotient is $H^1(k,M)$. Short exact sequences of modules give the long exact sequence in group cohomology; the connecting map measures the obstruction to lifting a fixed element to a fixed preimage. This interpretation gives a concrete descent map for an elliptic curve.

For an integer $m\ge 2$, multiplication on the geometric points gives the exact sequenceHere multiplication is a separable isogeny in characteristic zero, with $m^2$ geometric kernel points. For $P\in E(k)$ choose $Q$ with $mQ=P$. Then $c_{\sigma }=\sigma Q-Q$ lies in $E[m]$, satisfies the cocycle identity, and changing $Q$ changes it by a coboundary. Its class $\delta (P)$ vanishes exactly when $P\in mE(k)$: if $c_{\sigma }=\sigma T-T$ for $T\in E[m]$, the point $Q-T$ is rational and divides $P$. Thus the Kummer exact sequence of an elliptic curve includesThe construction also proves that $\delta$ is a homomorphism. The final group can be interpreted as classes of elliptic-curve torsors killed by $m$; imposing soluble completions leads to the Selmer group of an elliptic curve. For weak Mordell-Weil, the important task is to bound the arithmetic image of $\delta$, not to assume that the entire first cohomology group is finite.

Choose a finite set $S$ containing the bad primes, primes dividing $m$, and archimedean places. At a good finite place $v\notin S$, the class $\delta (P)$ is unramified. Here is the local reason. Over a finite extension of the residue field choose an $m$-division point of the reduction of $P$; multiplication is surjective on the points over its algebraic closure. Pass to the corresponding unramified extension of $k_v$ and lift this nonsingular point by the Hensel lemma. The discrepancy between $m$ times its lift and $P$ lies in the kernel of reduction. The formal group of an elliptic curve describes that kernel, and multiplication by $m$ is bijective there because its leading coefficient is a unit. Correcting the lift therefore gives an actual division point in the unramified closure. Inertia fixes that point, so the Kummer cocycle vanishes on inertia. The same good-reduction argument shows that $E[m]$ itself is unramified outside $S$.

We now prove the required finiteness of unramified cohomology classes. Choose a finite Galois extension $L/k$ over which $E[m]$ and the $m$th roots of unity are all rational, and enlarge $S$ to include its ramified primes. The inflation-restriction exact sequence shows that restriction to $G_L$ has finite kernel: that kernel comes from $H^1(\mathrm{Gal}(L/k),E[m])$, a finite group since both its group and coefficient module are finite. Over $L$, a choice of basis identifies $E[m]$ with ${\mu }_m^2$. The multiplicative Kummer sequence, together with Hilbert 90, givesFor clarity, Hilbert 90 says that a multiplicative cocycle for a finite Galois extension is a coboundary. If its values are $c_{\sigma }$, choose $a$ so that $b={\sum }_{\sigma }{c}_{\sigma }\sigma (a)\ne 0$. Then $\tau (b)=c_{\tau }^{-1}b$, so $c_{\tau }=\tau (b^{-1})/b^{-1}$. Such an $a$ exists because distinct field automorphisms are linearly independent: a relation with the fewest nonzero terms, evaluated on $at$ and compared with its value on $t$ multiplied by one automorphism's value on $a$, would produce a shorter nonzero relation. Continuity reduces the absolute-Galois version to a finite extension. This proves the cohomological vanishing used in the multiplicative Kummer sequence.

An unramified Kummer class represented by $a\in L^{\times }$ has $v_w(a)\equiv 0(\mathrm{mod}m)$ at every finite $w\notin S_L$. Indeed an $m$th root of $a$ fixed by inertia belongs to an unramified local extension, whose value group is still the integers. DefineFactoring the fractional ideal away from $S_L$ as an $m$th power gives the exact sequenceTo check it, send $[a]$ to the ideal class of its $m$th root ideal. Changing $a$ by an $m$th power changes that ideal by a principal ideal. The kernel consists precisely of S-units modulo $m$th powers, and every $m$-torsion ideal class has a representative whose $m$th power is principal, proving surjectivity. The S-unit group is finitely generated by the Dirichlet unit theorem and the finite collection of allowed prime valuations. The localized ideal class group is a quotient of the finite ordinary ideal class group. Both end groups, and hence $L(S_L,m)$, are finite. This is the finiteness of S-unramified Kummer classes argument.

The restrictions of the elliptic Kummer image lie in two copies of this finite group, and the restriction kernel is finite. The injection $\delta$ therefore provesThis is the Weak Mordell-Weil theorem. The unramified restriction is essential: even $H^1(k,{\mu }_2)=k^{\times }/k^{\times 2}$ is generally infinite. Cohomology turns divisibility into a cocycle; good reduction restricts its ramification; units and ideal classes supply the arithmetic finiteness.

Height functions and finite generation. Write $d=[k:\mathbb{Q}]$ and use absolute values extending the usual rational ones, with local degrees $n_v=[k_v:{\mathbb{Q}}_v]$. The logarithmic height of a projective pair isThe product formula makes it independent of scaling. For $t\in k$, $h(t)=h(t:1)$ is nonnegative. On a short Weierstrass equation $E:y^2=x^3+Ax+B$, put $h_x(P)=h(x(P))$ and $h_x(O)=0$.

Bounded height gives only finitely many rational points. To see the scalar finiteness behind the Northcott theorem, an algebraic number $t$ of degree $e$ has primitive minimal polynomial $a_0{\prod }_{i=1}^e(T-t_i)$, and the product formula gives $e^{eh(t)}=|a_0|{\prod }_i\max (1,|t_i|)$. If $e\le d$ and $h(t)\le H$, every coefficient has absolute value at most $2^d{e}^{dH}$. There are only finitely many such integer polynomials and hence finitely many roots. Each x-coordinate lifts to at most two points of $E$, with $O$ handled separately. Thus $\{P\in E(k):h_x(P)\le H\}$ is finite.

The second ingredient is height expansion under doubling:Indeed the duplication formula is the degree-four morphism of the projective x-line represented by the coprime quartic formsThey are coprime because the elliptic curve is nonsingular. At each place their coefficient bounds give $\max (|F{|}_v,|G{|}_v)\le C_v\max (|X{|}_v,|Z{|}_v{)}^4$. Bezout identities expressing powers of each coordinate as combinations of $F,G$ give the reverse inequality up to another local constant. One obtains these identities by the Euclidean algorithm on the two affine charts and clearing denominators. Only finitely many non-Archimedean places have a constant different from one. Taking weighted logarithms and summing proves the uniform bounded error. This is height growth under a morphism of the projective line, applied with degree four.

For a fixed $R=(r,s)\in E(k)$, the addition formula also givesFor $x(P)\ne r$, its x-coordinate isThe curve equation bounds $|y{|}_v$ by a local constant times $\max (1,|x{|}_v{)}^{3/2}$. Both numerator and denominator are consequently bounded by a local constant times $\max (1,|x{|}_v{)}^2$. The projective-height definition gives the claimed inequality; the finitely many exceptional points with $x=r$ are absorbed into the constant. For $R=O$ the estimate is immediate.

By weak Mordell-Weil, choose finitely many representatives $R_1,\dots ,R_t$ for $E(k)/2E(k)$. Every $P$ can be written $P=2Q+R_i$. Combining the last two inequalities giveswith one constant $C_0\ge 0$ for all the representatives. This is naive height contraction in elliptic halving descent. If $h_x(P)>2C_0+1$, the new point $Q$ has height at least one half less than that of $P$. Repetition must therefore reach the finite set of points of height at most $2C_0+1$. Reversing the identities $P_j=2P_{j+1}+R_{i_j}$ shows that every point is generated by this finite terminal set together with the finite list of representatives. ThusThe structure theorem then gives $E(k)\cong E(k{)}_{\mathrm{tors}}\times {\mathbb{Z}}^r$ with finite torsion subgroup: this is the Mordell-Weil theorem. Finiteness modulo two alone does not imply finite generation; the contracting height argument is what bridges that gap.

The bounded duplication error also constructs the canonical height of an elliptic curve:The successive differences are bounded by a summable geometric sequence, so the limit exists, $\hat{h}(P)=\frac{1}{2}{h}_x(P)+O_E(1)$, and $\hat{h}(2P)=4\hat{h}(P)$. It is nonnegative. Torsion points have canonical height zero because their multiples form a finite set. Conversely, if the canonical height is zero, all $2^{j}P$ have bounded naive height; Northcott finiteness makes two of them equal and hence makes $P$ torsion. The canonical height removes the bounded error from the arithmetic growth law and identifies exactly the torsion directions, while the elementary naive-height descent already proves finite generation.

A one-variable main conjecture for CM elliptic curves compares a torsion arithmetic Iwasawa module with a measure interpolating special Hecke L-function values. The classical bounded-measure formulation uses a prime of good reduction which splits in the CM field, hence gives ordinary reduction. We first describe the one-prime division-tower formulation, including the analytic construction, and then explain its cyclotomic Selmer counterpart and the change at supersingular primes.

For a precise basic setting, take $E/K$ with complex multiplication by ${\mathcal{O}}_K$, $K$ of class number one, and a split prime $p>3$ of good reduction, prime to the Hecke conductor $\mathfrak{f}$. Write $p{\mathcal{O}}_K=\mathfrak{p}\bar{\mathfrak{p}}$, choose the $p$-adic embedding corresponding to $\mathfrak{p}$, and let $\pi ={\psi }_E(\mathfrak{p})$. Its formal group of an elliptic curve has height one, with $[\pi ](t)\equiv t^p(\mathrm{mod}\mathfrak{p})$. The one-prime division towerhas $\Delta$ of order prime to $p$ and $\Gamma \simeq {\mathbb{Z}}_p$. Its CM character $\kappa :G\to {\mathbb{Z}}_p^{\times }$ describes the action on the prime-primary Tate module. Let $F=F_{\infty }^{\Gamma }$ and $\Lambda =I[[\Gamma ]]\simeq I[[T]]$. We extend coefficients to the complete unramified ring $I$ to include character values and a CM period.

Let $X$ be the Galois group over $F_{\infty }$ of the maximal abelian pro-$p$ extension unramified outside primes above $\mathfrak{p}$. Let $A$ be the analogous everywhere-unramified group, equivalently the norm inverse limit of the $p$-parts of the ideal class groups. Write $U$ for the norm limit of principal local units at $\mathfrak{p}$, $\mathcal{E}$ for the closures of global units in $U$, and $\mathcal{C}$ for the closures of elliptic units. Roots of unity and finite initial-layer errors are retained when formulating integral statements; after passage to a finite-character component they do not change a characteristic ideal.

The class-field unit sequence, obtained by taking norm limits in global Artin reciprocity, givesIn this ordinary one-prime tower, the unit and global-unit terms have the same Iwasawa rank, and the displayed quotients and $X,A$ are torsion on their character components. The equalityis the global-units/class-groups form of the CM main theorem. Multiplicativity of characteristic ideals in the sequence then givesThe analytic construction must identify the latter ideal with a genuinely interpolating p-adic L-function; it is not enough to rename an arbitrary characteristic power series as an L-function.

Here is that construction. For an auxiliary ideal $\mathfrak{a}$ prime to $6p\mathfrak{f}$, a suitably normalized rational elliptic function has divisor a multiple ofTranslate by a generator of the conductor torsion and take the product over its ray-class orbit. This produces a rational function $f_{\mathfrak{a}}(t)$ defined over $K$ which is a unit series at the identity. Evaluating it on compatible ${\mathfrak{p}}^n$-division points gives elliptic units. The reason for the norm relations is geometric: multiplication by $\pi$ groups the translated zeros and poles into fibers, so the product over $E[\mathfrak{p}]$ has the divisor of $f_{\mathfrak{a}}([\pi ]t)$. The normalization fixes the constant, giving the local identityThis is also the norm relation of the Coleman power series for a CM formal group interpolating the resulting local units.

An integral logarithmic correction makes the passage from those units to a bounded measure explicit. In the chosen split completion $K_{\mathfrak{p}}={\mathbb{Q}}_p$, putSince $[\pi ]t\equiv t^p(\mathrm{mod}p)$ and the coefficients of $f$ reduce to ${\mathbb{F}}_p$, the ratio is in $1+p{\mathbb{Z}}_p[[t]]$. For $p>2$, its logarithm divided by $p$ is integral. Constants are treated using the usual $p$-adic logarithm on units. This proves the integrality needed for the Frobenius-corrected logarithm; applying an uncorrected logarithm alone would not prove boundedness.

Choose an isomorphism $\eta :{\hat{\mathbb{G}}}_m\to \hat{E}$ over $I$, and normalize the CM period byThen $A_f(T)={\mathcal{L}}_f(\eta (T))\in I[[T]]$ is the Amice transform of a unique $I$-valued p-adic measure on ${\mathbb{Z}}_p$. The norm relation above givesthe first logarithmic sum is $\log f([\pi ]t)$ and the second is the same sum, because $[\pi ]Q=0$ and there are $p$ points. On the measure side the sum selects $p{\mathbb{Z}}_p$ and multiplies by $p$, so this identity says that the measure is supported on ${\mathbb{Z}}_p^{\times }$. Transport it to $G$ by the CM character and project to the desired component.

The moments can now be calculated rather than postulated. With $D=(1+T)d/dT$,The factor ${\pi }^k$ appears because $[\pi ]$ is multiplication by $\pi$ in the additive formal-logarithm coordinate. The remaining derivative is a Coates–Wiles homomorphism. The complex product for the elliptic function makes it a sum of shifted inverse powers of lattice elements. Grouping these lattice elements by ray-class ideals identifies that sum with $(k-1)!L_{\mathfrak{f}}({\bar{\psi }}_E^k,k)/{\Omega }_{\infty }^k$, multiplied by the auxiliary factor $N\mathfrak{a}-{\psi }_E(\mathfrak{a}{)}^k$. Here $L_{\mathfrak{f}}$ omits primes dividing the original conductor, including when the conductor of the power character becomes smaller.

Normalize the rational functions and matching complex and $p$-adic periods consistently, and remove the auxiliary factors by the distribution relations. They are evaluations of $N\mathfrak{a}-[\mathfrak{a}]$ in the Iwasawa algebra. On each finite-character component an auxiliary ideal can be chosen making this element a unit: its residues at $\mathfrak{p}$ and $\bar{\mathfrak{p}}$ can be prescribed independently by the Chinese remainder theorem. The resulting integral measure ${\mu }_E$ satisfies, on its branch and with $k$ in the corresponding residue class,The exact normalization of periods matters for this equality; multiplication by an integral unit does not affect the ideal in the main conjecture. Finite-order twists are obtained by inserting a character in the ray-class sums, with its local Gauss sum. The lattice calculation proves algebraicity of the normalized complex values, while the integral series construction proves their $p$-adic interpolation. These are different steps.

The Coleman measure map identifies $U_{\chi }$ with a rank-one Iwasawa algebra lattice, up to finite errors, and takes ${\mathcal{C}}_{\chi }$ to the ideal generated by the corresponding power series ${\mathcal{L}}_{\chi }$. The conjecture therefore has the concrete formIts proof uses the Euler system of elliptic units. Adjoining auxiliary ray moduli supplies norm relations with factors $1-{\mathrm{Frob}}_{\mathfrak{q}}^{-1}$. Derivative operators in the auxiliary cyclic groups produce Kolyvagin classes; their controlled valuations relate a new auxiliary prime to its ideal class. Chebotarev density theorem permits the required Frobenius choices. Successively choosing these primes bounds the class-group elementary divisors by the elliptic-unit index, giving the difficult characteristic-ideal divisibility. The opposite comparison comes from the class-number/unit-index formula and passage through the tower. Their equality, combined with the exact sequence above and the logarithmic computation, is the proof mechanism. The ordinary split-prime setting of this formulation is specified in Rubin's one-variable main-conjecture paper.

For completeness, the familiar cyclotomic formulation concerns a different tower. If $E/\mathbb{Q}$ has complex multiplication and good ordinary reduction at $p$, put ${\Gamma }_{\mathrm{cyc}}=\mathrm{Gal}({\mathbb{Q}}_{\infty }/\mathbb{Q})$ andFor a finite layer $L$, its Selmer group of an elliptic curve iswhere $S$ contains the bad primes and primes above $p$; at infinite level take the direct limit. Thus it imposes the local Kummer conditions and sits between rational points tensored with ${\mathbb{Q}}_p/{\mathbb{Z}}_p$ and the $p$-primary Tate–Shafarevich group. Its dual ${\mathcal{X}}_E$ is a torsion Iwasawa module, and the cyclotomic main conjecture isWith compatible reciprocity conventions, the ordinary function has the finite-character interpolationwhere $\alpha$ is the $p$-adic unit root of $X^2-a_{p}X+p$ and $\tau (\chi )={\sum }_{a\mathrm{mod}{p}^n}\chi (a)e^{2\pi ia/p^n}$; characters of this cyclotomic ${\mathbb{Z}}_p$-extension are even. The two-variable CM measure specializes to this line after the CM-character twist. Kummer theory, class-field descriptions of the prime-primary local conditions and control of finite-layer errors identify its algebraic counterpart with the displayed Selmer dual. The one-prime division tower is not itself the cyclotomic tower, so this requires the twist and specialization argument, not just changing its name.

Finally, at a good inert prime the curve has supersingular reduction. The ordinary unit root is absent, the unmodified cyclotomic Selmer dual is not torsion, and the ordinary bounded-function argument does not apply. For CM curves over $\mathbb{Q}$ and odd supersingular $p$, signed local trace conditions and signed functions give instead $\mathrm{char}{\mathcal{X}}_E^{\pm }=(L_p^{\pm }(E))$, as proved in Pollack and Rubin's supersingular main-conjecture theorem. Thus the ordinary hypotheses and the analytic local correction are essential parts of the essay's main-conjecture statement.

For an integral Minimal Weierstrass equation, let $E_0({\mathbb{Q}}_p)$ be the subgroup of points whose reduction is a smooth point of the reduced cubic. Its reduction is a homomorphism to the smooth-locus group of a singular Weierstrass cubic, or to the whole reduced elliptic curve in the good-reduction case. Define the formal kernel of a minimal Weierstrass equation byIt consists of the identity and the points reducing to the identity at infinity. For a nonidentity affine point this is equivalent to $v_p(x)=-2r$ and $v_p(y)=-3r$ for some positive integer $r$.

The local parameter $t=-x/y$, with $t(O)=0$, gives the group isomorphismwhere $\hat{E}$ is the formal group of an elliptic curve. To see the local coordinates, put $w=-1/y$ in the Weierstrass equation of an elliptic curve. The resulting relation is $w=t^3+a_{1}tw+a_2{t}^{2}w+a_3{w}^2+a_{4}t{w}^2+a_6{w}^3$, and its unit linear coefficient gives a unique integral series $w(t)=t^3+O(t^4)$. Thus $x=t/w$ and $y=-1/w$ have valuations $-2v_p(t)$ and $-3v_p(t)$. The chord-and-tangent group law expressed in this parameter is precisely the integral formal group law $\hat{E}$. This description includes bad reduction; only the smooth identity neighborhood is involved.

The Lutz–Nagell theorem says that for a nonsingular short equation $y^2=x^3+ax+b$ with $a,b\in \mathbb{Z}$, every nonidentity rational torsion point of an elliptic curve $(x,y)$ has $x,y\in \mathbb{Z}$, and either $y=0$ orThis is a necessary condition for torsion, not a converse.