Watkins's conjecture for quadratic twists of Elliptic Curves with Prime Power Conductor

Abstract

Watkins' conjecture asserts that the rank of an elliptic curve is upper bounded by the $2$-adic valuation of its modular degree. We show that this conjecture is satisfied when $E$ is any quadratic twist of an elliptic curve with rational $2$-torsion and prime power conductor. Furthermore, we give a lower bound of the congruence number for elliptic curves of the form $y^2=x^3-dx$, with $d$ a biquadratefree integer.

arXiv comment13 pages, to appear Journal de Theorie des Nombres de Bordeaux