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If the BSD rank conjecture were false, then the simplest counterexample might be an elliptic curve with algebraic rank 4 and analytic rank 2. This could be est
by williamstein 2y ago
If the BSD rank conjecture were false, then the simplest counterexample might be an elliptic curve with algebraic rank 4 and analytic rank 2. This could be established for a specific curve by rigorously numerically computing the second derivative of the L-series at 1 to some number of digits and getting something nonzero (which is possible because elliptic curves are modular - see work of Dikchitser). This is a straightforward thing to do computations about and there are large tables of rank 4 curves. This is also exactly the problem I suggested to the OP in grad school. :-)
In number theory doing these sorts of “obvious computational investigations” is well worth doing and led to many of the papers I have written. I remember doing one in grad school and being shocked when we found a really interesting example in minutes, which led to a paper.
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]