On torsion subgroups of elliptic curves over quartic, quintic and sextic number fields

Abstract

The list of all groups that can appear as torsion subgroups of elliptic curves over number fields of degree d, $d=4,5,6$, is not completely determined. However, the list of groups ${\Phi }^{\infty }\left(d\right)$, $d=4,5,6$, that can be realized as torsion subgroups for infinitely many non-isomorphic elliptic curves over these fields is known. We address the question of which torsion subgroups can arise over a given number field of degree d. In fact, given $G\in {\Phi }^{\infty }\left(d\right)$ and a number field K of degree d, we give explicit criteria telling whether G is realized finitely or infinitely often over K. We also give results on the field with the smallest absolute value of its discriminant such that there exists an elliptic curve with torsion G. Finally, we give examples of number fields K of degree d, $d=4,5,6$, over which the Mordell-Weil rank of elliptic curves with prescribed torsion is bounded from above.