B4.8

Riemann Surfaces | Part II, 2001

Let λ\lambda and μ\mu be fixed, non-zero complex numbers, with λ/μ∉R\lambda / \mu \notin \mathbb{R}, and let Λ=Zμ+Zλ\Lambda=\mathbb{Z} \mu+\mathbb{Z} \lambda be the lattice they generate in C\mathbb{C}. The series

℘(z)=1z2+∑m,n[1(z−mλ−nμ)2−1(mλ+nμ)2]\wp(z)=\frac{1}{z^{2}}+\sum_{m, n}\left[\frac{1}{(z-m \lambda-n \mu)^{2}}-\frac{1}{(m \lambda+n \mu)^{2}}\right]

with the sum taken over all pairs (m,n)∈Z×Z(m, n) \in \mathbb{Z} \times \mathbb{Z} other than (0,0)(0,0), is known to converge to an elliptic function, meaning a meromorphic function ℘:C→C∪{∞}\wp: \mathbb{C} \rightarrow \mathbb{C} \cup\{\infty\} satisfying ℘(z)=℘(z+μ)=℘(z+λ)\wp(z)=\wp(z+\mu)=\wp(z+\lambda) for all z∈Cz \in \mathbb{C}. ( ℘\wp is called the Weierstrass function.)

(a) Find the three zeros of ℘′\wp^{\prime} modulo Λ\Lambda, explaining why there are no others.

(b) Show that, for any number a∈Ca \in \mathbb{C}, other than the three values ℘(λ/2),℘(μ/2)\wp(\lambda / 2), \wp(\mu / 2) and ℘((λ+μ)/2)\wp((\lambda+\mu) / 2), the equation ℘(z)=a\wp(z)=a has exactly two solutions, modulo Λ\Lambda; whereas, for each of the specified values, it has a single solution.

[In (a) and (b), you may use, without proof, any known results about valencies and degrees of holomorphic maps between compact Riemann surfaces, provided you state them correctly.]

(c) Prove that every even elliptic function ϕ(z)\phi(z) is a rational function of ℘(z)\wp(z); that is, there exists a rational function RR for which ϕ(z)=R(℘(z))\phi(z)=R(\wp(z)).

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