ON THE FIELD OF DEFINITION OF p-TORSION POINTS ON ELLIPTIC CURVES OVER THE RATIONALS

Let SQ(d) be the set of primes p for which there exists a number field K of degree ≤ d and an elliptic curve E/Q, such that the order of the torsion subgroup of E(K) is divisible by p. In this article we give bounds for the primes in the set SQ(d). In particular, we show that, if p ≥ 11, p 6= 13, 37, and p ∈ SQ(d), then p ≤ 2d + 1. Moreover, we determine SQ(d) for all d ≤ 42, and give a conjectural formula for all d ≥ 1. If Serre’s uniformity problem is answered positively, then our conjectural formula is valid for all sufficiently large d. Under further assumptions on the non-cuspidal points on modular curves that parametrize those j-invariants associated to Cartan subgroups, the formula is valid for all d ≥ 1.