Congruence Subgroups and Modular Forms Concept Questions

In summary, a congruence subgroup of level ##N## is one that contains the principal subgroup at level ##N##, which is defined as ##(a b c d) \in SL_2(Z): a,d\equiv 1 (mod N), b,c \equiv 0 (mod N)##. The Hecke group, denoted by ##T_0(N)##, is an example of such a subgroup and is defined as ##T_0(N) = (*,*)(0,*)##. To determine if a function ##f(t)## is modular for ##T_0(N)##, it must be holomorphic at all cusps of ##T_0(N)## and this condition
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binbagsss
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1) Defintion :

A congruence subgroup of level ##N## is one that contains the principal subgroup at level ##N## which is defined as ## (a b c d) \in SL_2(Z) : a,d\equiv 1 (mod N), b,c \equiv 0 (mod N) ## (apologies ## ( a b c d)## is a 2x2 matrix.)

The Hecke group is one such example given by ##T_{0}(N) = ( *, *) ( 0, *) ## (apologies again that's the first row and second row of the matrix respecitvely).

So is my understanding of these definitions correct: that ##T(N) \in T_0(N)## since can choose ##( *, *) = (1,0) ## and ##(0,d) = (0,1) ## to give the required ##a,d \equiv 1 (mod N), b,c \equiv 0 (mod N) ## ?or eg ##(*,*)= (cN+1, cN) ##, ##c## is a constant, and then both of these elements divide by ##N##? (that's the top row of the matrix ##\in## ##SL_2(Z)## , apologies again.

2) In my notes I have that the 'corresponding' condifiton for a function ##f(t)## to be modular for ##T_0(N)## differs to the ##SL_2(Z)## condition that must be holomorphic at ##\infty##,( from ##f(t)##can be written as an expansion as ##f(t)= \sum\limits^{\infty}_{n=0} a_{n} q^n ##, to :

##f## is 'holomporphic at all cusps of ##T_0 (N) ## , that is the limit
##lim _{q \to 0} (ct+d)^{-k} f( \alpha t) ## exists for all ##\alpha## \in ##SL_2(Z)##.

And that this only needs to be checked at finitely many ##\alpha##, for those which map the (inequivalent) cusps to ##\infty##.


So i don't really understand why this is the condition, nor why it is sufficient to only check the ##\alpha## that map the cusps to ##\infty##.

Here's what I know:

- In ##SL_2(Z) ## all cusps are ##T##-equivalent to ##\infty##, since all rational numbers are, and so this is why it suffices to only check holomorphicity at ##\infty## for ##SL_2(Z)## ?

- Whereas for ##T _0 (N) ## fewer points are ##T##-equivalent and so ##T_0 ## can have other cusps at the rational numbes, that is, the cusps can no longer be mapped to ##\infty##. So we check the expansion of ##f## mapped to ##\infty## from these inequivalent cusps - however I don't really under where the condition comes from. Why is the idea to map to ##\infty##? Why is the condition working with maps ##\in SL_2(Z)## , how is this ok?

3) This is proabably a stupid question but in my notes it says:

##T _0 (N) ## touches the real axis at the point ##0##. In fact, such a behavior will happen for any ##T_0(N)##. Any fundamental domain for## T_0(N)## will touch the the real axis in finitely many rational points, and we call these points (together with the infinite cusp ##∞##), the (equivalence classes) of cusps of ##T_0(N)##.

I don't understand how the cusp at ##0## and ##\infty## are called equivalence classes, since ##0## is mapped to ##\infty## by ##S## , however, for e.g ##T_0 (p) ## ##s \notin T_0(p) ## and so the points ##0## and ##\infty## are not ##T##-equivalent...

I'm pretty confused.

Any clarification what so ever greatly appreciated, ta.
 
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FAQ: Congruence Subgroups and Modular Forms Concept Questions

1. What are congruence subgroups in modular forms?

Congruence subgroups are a type of subgroup in modular forms that preserve certain congruence relations. They are defined by a system of linear congruences and play a crucial role in the study of modular forms.

2. How are congruence subgroups related to modular forms?

Congruence subgroups are closely related to modular forms as they are used to construct and classify these mathematical objects. They provide a natural framework for understanding the behavior of modular forms under certain transformations.

3. What are the main properties of congruence subgroups?

There are several important properties of congruence subgroups, including their index and level, which measure the size and complexity of the subgroup. They also have a well-defined modular form associated with them, called a congruence modular form.

4. How do congruence subgroups relate to other areas of mathematics?

Congruence subgroups have connections to many other areas of mathematics, including number theory, algebraic geometry, and representation theory. They are also used in the study of lattices and in the classification of certain geometric objects.

5. What are some applications of congruence subgroups and modular forms?

Congruence subgroups and modular forms have many applications in mathematics and beyond. They are used in cryptography, coding theory, and the study of elliptic curves. They also have connections to physics, particularly in string theory and conformal field theory.

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