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An isogeny of elliptic curves over $k$ is a nonconstant morphism $\varphi :E_1\to E_2$ defined over $k$ and preserving the identity. Such a morphism is a group homomorphism: apply the Mumford rigidity lemma to $\varphi (P+Q)-\varphi (P)-\varphi (Q)$, whose restriction to either coordinate axis is zero. A nonconstant morphism of smooth projective curves is finite and surjective, so its degree of an isogeny is the positive integerDegrees multiply under composition. A separable isogeny has degree equal to the number of geometric points in its kernel of an isogeny. In positive characteristic of a field, inseparable isogenies also occur, for example the Frobenius isogeny; their total degree includes inseparable multiplicity, so counting geometric kernel points alone is insufficient. Every isogeny of degree $d$ has a dual isogeny $\hat{\varphi }$ satisfying $\hat{\varphi }\varphi =[d]$ and $\varphi \hat{\varphi }=[d]$.

Pointwise addition and negation make the homomorphism group of elliptic curves $H={\mathrm{Hom}}_k(E_1,E_2)$ an abelian group. Its zero is the constant identity map; every other element is an isogeny, because its nonconstant image is the whole target curve. Define $q(0)=0$ and $q(\varphi )=\mathrm{deg}\varphi$ otherwise. We prove the positive definiteness of degree on elliptic-curve homomorphisms, including arbitrary characteristic.

Let $L={\mathcal{O}}_{E_2}(O)$, a line bundle associated to a divisor of degree one. On $E_2\times E_2$ write $m(P,Q)=P+Q$, $d(P,Q)=P-Q$ and let ${\pi }_i$ be the projections. The divisor proof of the degree parallelogram law givesHere is a direct justification. The degree-two Weierstrass coordinate $x$ has a double pole at $O$, and $x(P)=x(Q)$ precisely when $Q=P$ or $Q=-P$. Consequentlywhere $D_{+}$ is the diagonal and $D_{-}$ the graph of negation. Since $D_{+}=d^{-1}(O)$ and $D_{-}=m^{-1}(O)$, this principal divisor gives the displayed line bundle identity. This remains valid in characteristic two: the general Weierstrass equation of an elliptic curve of a smooth algebraic curve has a nontrivial generic involution $(x,y)\mapsto (x,-y-a_{1}x-a_3)$, so the two graphs still occur. This identity is also the symmetric-line-bundle form of the Theorem of the square.

Pull back the bundle identity along $(\varphi ,\psi ):E_1\to E_2\times E_2$ and take degrees of line bundles. For a nonzero map, $\mathrm{deg}({\varphi }^{\ast }L)=q(\varphi )$; for a zero map its pullback is trivial and has degree zero. Thus the degree parallelogram law isUsing bundles rather than pulling back the rational function itself is essential when $\varphi =\pm \psi$, where that function can vanish identically. Negation preserves degree, so $q(-\varphi )=q(\varphi )$. Applying the parallelogram identity to $n\varphi$ and $\varphi$ gives the quadratic degree recursion for elliptic multiplication, and induction from $q(0)=0$ yields $q(n\varphi )=n^{2}q(\varphi )$ for every integer $n$.

Define the bilinear degree pairing for elliptic-curve homomorphisms byIt is symmetric and odd in each argument. Two applications of the parallelogram law giveAdding proves $B(x+z,y)=B(x,y)+B(z,y)$, and symmetry proves additivity in the other argument. Also $B(\varphi ,\varphi )=q(\varphi )$. Therefore $q$ is an integer-valued quadratic form. The integral polarization is $2B(\varphi ,\psi )=q(\varphi +\psi )-q(\varphi )-q(\psi )$; $B$ itself may be half-integral.

Finally $q(\varphi )>0$ for every nonzero $\varphi$, since an isogeny has positive finite degree. If $n\varphi =0$ with $n\ne 0$, the identity $q(n\varphi )=n^{2}q(\varphi )$ forces $\varphi =0$, so $H$ is a torsion-free abelian group. On any finite-dimensional rational span in $H\otimes \mathbb{Q}$, the pairing has a rational matrix and is positive on every nonzero rational vector. By density it is nonnegative on real vectors; if that rational matrix were singular, its kernel would contain a nonzero rational vector, contradicting strict positivity. Thus its real extension is a positive-definite quadratic form. This establishes the required positivity as well as the quadratic identity. For example, on the subgroup of multiplication maps $[n]$, $q([n])=n^2$; on the endomorphism ring of an elliptic curve with complex multiplication it is the imaginary-quadratic field norm, explaining the lattice geometry behind isogeny degrees.

An isogeny of elliptic curves $\varphi :E_1\to E_2$ over a field $K$ is a nonconstant morphism preserving the identity and addition. It is surjective and finite: its image is a closed connected subgroup, and a nonconstant morphism of smooth projective curves is finite. The degree of an isogeny is the degree of its induced extension of function fields. A separable isogeny has degree equal to the number of geometric kernel points; in general the degree is the length of the finite kernel scheme, incorporating inseparability. The degree of an isogeny multiplies under composition, and degree one means an isomorphism. In characteristic zero all elliptic isogenies are separable. In positive characteristic the Frobenius isogeny illustrates inseparability, while an elliptic isogeny of degree prime to the characteristic is separable.

The homomorphism group of elliptic curves includes the zero homomorphism, the constant identity map, and every nonzero member is an elliptic isogeny. The operations are pointwise addition and negation; for endomorphisms, composition also gives the endomorphism ring of an elliptic curve. We put $q(0)=0$ and $q(\varphi )=\mathrm{deg}\varphi$ otherwise. We now prove the positive definiteness of degree on elliptic-curve homomorphisms in full.

Let $E=E_2$, and choose a Weierstrass model. Its coordinate $x$ has a double pole at $O$, and the generic fibre of $x$ consists of $P$ and $-P$. On $E\times E$ the rational function $x(P)-x(Q)$ therefore has Weil divisorwhere $\Delta =\{P=Q\}$, ${\Delta }_{-}=\{P=-Q\}$, $V=\{O\}\times E$, and $H=E\times \{O\}$. The generic zeros on the two diagonals have multiplicity one, and the generic poles on $V,H$ have multiplicity two; their intersections have codimension two and add no Weil divisor components. This argument also uses the general Weierstrass involution in characteristic $2$, where $-P$ need not mean changing just the sign of $y$.

For the sum and difference maps $a(P,Q)=P+Q$ and $s(P,Q)=P-Q$, the divisors $a^{\ast }(O)$ and $s^{\ast }(O)$ are ${\Delta }_{-}$ and $\Delta$. Consequently, for the degree-one line bundle $L={\mathcal{O}}_E(O)$,Pull back along $P\mapsto (\varphi (P),\psi (P))$ and take degrees of line bundles on $E_1$. A nonconstant map pulls back $L$ to degree equal to its degree, while a constant map pulls it back to a trivial bundle of degree zero. We obtain the degree parallelogram lawUsing the line-bundle identity is important: it still restricts correctly when $\varphi =\psi$ or $\varphi =-\psi$, when restriction of the displayed rational function would be identically zero.

Since $q(-\varphi )=q(\varphi )$, applying the identity to $n\varphi$ and $\varphi$ gives the second-difference recursionStarting from $q(0)=0$ and $q(\varphi )$ yields $q(n\varphi )=n^{2}q(\varphi )$ for all integers $n$. DefineIt is symmetric and odd in each variable. Applying the parallelogram identity to the four terms in its first expression givesInterchanging $u,w$ and using oddness also gives $B(u+w,v)-B(u-w,v)=2B(w,v)$. Adding proves $B(u+w,v)=B(u,v)+B(w,v)$; symmetry proves additivity in the other variable. Thus $q$ is a quadratic form with associated rational bilinear form $B$.

Every nonzero homomorphism has positive degree, so $q(\varphi )>0$ for $\varphi \ne 0$. The scaling identity also shows that the homomorphism group is a torsion-free group. Hence $q$ extends to its rational vector space. On the span of any finitely many rationally independent homomorphisms, the matrix of $B$ is rational. Positivity on nonzero rational vectors implies nonnegativity on real vectors by density. If the real matrix had a nontrivial kernel, its rational linear equations would have a nonzero rational solution, contradicting positivity. Thus its real extension is a positive-definite quadratic form. This establishes the requested positivity as well as the quadratic identities.

An important companion to degree is the dual isogeny. Under $E\cong {\mathrm{Pic}}^0(E)$ via $P\mapsto [P-O]$, the pullback ${\varphi }^{\ast }:{\mathrm{Pic}}^0(E_2)\to {\mathrm{Pic}}^0(E_1)$ defines $\hat{\varphi }:E_2\to E_1$. Divisor pushforward corresponds to $\varphi$, and pushforward after pullback multiplies divisor classes by $n=\mathrm{deg}\varphi$. Therefore $\varphi \hat{\varphi }=[n]$. Composing shows that $\hat{\varphi }\varphi -[n]$ takes values in the finite kernel of $\varphi$; a morphism from a connected smooth curve into this finite scheme must be constant, and its identity value is zero. ThusThe last equality follows from $\mathrm{deg}[n]=n^2$, already proved by applying $q(m\varphi )=m^{2}q(\varphi )$ to the identity map. The dual isogeny is unique, since the difference of two choices composed with $\varphi$ would vanish and $\varphi$ is surjective. It follows that being isogenous is an equivalence relation: duality supplies symmetry, and composition supplies transitivity. For a finite subgroup of geometric points of order prime to the characteristic, the quotient curve and its quotient map give an elliptic isogeny with that kernel; in general one uses finite subgroup schemes. This is the geometric source of explicit descent maps, including the two-isogeny formula in Question 4.

Finally elliptic isogenies preserve the rational rank of an abelian group over a number field. Their dual compositions are multiplication by $n$, so after tensoring the rational point groups with $\mathbb{Q}$ the elliptic isogeny becomes invertible. For a single curve, its endomorphism algebra in characteristic zero is $\mathbb{Q}$ or an imaginary quadratic field, giving ordinary integer multiplication or complex multiplication. In positive characteristic a supersingular curve can instead have a quaternionic endomorphism algebra. The positive degree form controls the sizes of these homomorphisms, while duality makes their arithmetic and geometric properties accessible.