If $A$ is an abelian variety defined over a field $K$ and $m$ is a positive integer, then the mod-$m$ Galois representation attached to $A$ is the continuous homomorphism \[ \overline\rho_{A,m}: \Gal(\overline{K}/K) \to \Aut(A[m]) \] describing the action of the absolute Galois group of $K$ on the $m$-torsion subgroup $A[m]$.
When the characteristic of $K$ does not divide $m > 1$, we may identify the finite abelian group $A[m]$ with $(\Z/m\Z)^{2g}$. Since the Weil pairing is a non-degenerate, alternating, bilinear pairing $A[m] \times A[m] \to \mu_m$ equivariant with respect to the natural Galois action, we may view the representation as a map \[ \overline\rho_{A,m}: \Gal(\overline{K}/K) \to \GSp_{2g}(\Z/m\Z) \] defined up to conjugation. In particular, when $m=\ell$ is prime different from the characteristic of $K$, we have the mod-$\ell$ Galois representation \[ \overline\rho_{A,\ell}: \Gal(\overline{K}/K) \to \GSp_{2g}(\Z/\ell\Z). \] Taking the inverse limit over prime powers $m=\ell^n$ yields the $\ell$-adic Galois representation attached to $A$, \[ \rho_{A,\ell}: \Gal(\overline{K}/K) \to \Aut(T_\ell(E)) \cong \GSp_{2g}(\Z_\ell), \] which describes the action of the absolute Galois group of $K$ on $T_\ell(A)$, the $\ell$-adic Tate module of $A$.
When $K$ has characteristic zero one can take the inverse limit over all positive integers $m$ (ordered by divisibility) to obtain the adelic Galois representation \[ \rho_{A}: \Gal(\overline{K}/K) \to \GSp_{2g}(\hat \Z). \]
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- Last edited by David Roe on 2025-09-05 20:40:20
- 2025-09-05 20:40:20 by David Roe
- 2025-06-09 02:34:53 by Sam Schiavone
- 2025-03-14 18:40:37 by Sam Schiavone