THE ARITHMETIC OF THE VALUES OF MODULAR

FUNCTIONS AND THE DIVISORS OF MODULAR FORMS

Jan H. Bruinier, Winfried Kohnen and Ken Ono

Appearing in Compositio Mathematica

1. Introduction and Statement of Results.

Let j(z) = q −1 + 744 + 196884q + · · · denote the usual elliptic modular function on
SL2 (Z) √(q := e2πiz throughout). We shall refer to a complex number τ of the form
b2 −4ac
τ = −b+ 2a with a, b, c ∈ Z, gcd(a, b, c) = 1 and b2 − 4ac < 0 as a Heegner point, and
we denote its discriminant by the integer dτ := b2 − 4ac. The values of j at such points
are known as singular moduli, and they play a substantial role in classical and modern
number theory. For example, the theory of complex multiplication implies that if τ is a
Heegner point with discriminant
√ dτ , then j(τ ) is an algebraic integer which generates a
ring class field of Q( dτ ).
Singular moduli also play an important role in Borcherds’ [B1, B2] recent work on
the infinite product expansions of certain modular forms. A meromorphic modular form
f on SL2 (Z), by definition, has a Heegner divisor if its zeros and poles are supported
at the cusp at infinity and Heegner points. In particular, Borcherds obtains an elegant
description of the infinite product expansion of those meromorphic modular forms on
SL2 (Z) with a Heegner divisor.
Here we consider the values of a specific sequence of elliptic modular functions jn ,
where j1 = j − 744. In an important recent paper [Z], Zagier expressed the traces of
the values of jn at Heegner points in terms of Fourier coefficients of half integral weight
modular forms. Here we consider the more general case of the sums of the values of
jn over divisors of meromorphic modular forms. We show that the “traces” of these
values (see Theorem 1) dictate the properties of modular forms on SL2 (Z). This result

1991 Mathematics Subject Classification. Primary 11F03, 11F11, 11F33.

Key words and phrases. Borcherds products, singular moduli, modular forms and functions.
The first and third authors thank the Number Theory Foundation for its generous support, and the
third author thanks the support of an Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship, a David and Lucile Packard Fellowship,
an H. I. Romnes Fellowship and a grant from the National Science Foundation.

Typeset by AMS-TEX
1
2 JAN H. BRUINIER, WINFRIED KOHNEN AND KEN ONO

is obtained using a jn -weighted version of the proof of the classical valence formula for
modular forms on SL2 (Z).
Theorem 1 provides a very useful link relating the values of j to the arithmetic of
the Fourier coefficients of modular forms. Naturally, one then expects a wide variety of
consequences. Here we begin by considering such consequences in connection with the
algebraicity of j-values, congruence properties and bounds for class numbers of imaginary
quadratic fields, infinite product expansions of modular forms, and recurrence relations
for Fourier coefficients. For example, we show that there are universal recursion formulas
for the Fourier coefficients of every modular form on SL2 (Z) (see Theorem 3). We also
obtain formulas for the exponents in the infinite product expansion of every modular
form on SL2 (Z) (see Theorem 5), and we obtain new p-adic formulas for class numbers
as traces of j-values (see Theorem 9).
Our investigation begins with a careful analysis of Ramanujan’s Theta-operator, the
differential operator defined by

∞ ∞
!
X X
n
Θ a(n)q := na(n)q n . (1.1)
n=h n=h

We refer to Θ as Ramanujan’s operator since he first observed that [R]

Θ(E4 ) = (E4 E2 − E6 )/3 and Θ(E6 ) = (E6 E2 − E8 )/2, (1.2)

where Ek , for every even integer k ≥ 2, is the standard Eisenstein series

∞
2k X
Ek (z) := 1 − σk−1 (n)q n . (1.3)
Bk n=1

Here Bk denotes the usual kth Bernoulli number and σk−1 (n) := d|n dk−1 . If k > 2,
P

then Ek is a weight k modular form on SL2 (Z). As usual, let ∆ := (E43 − E62 )/1728, the
unique normalized weight 12 cusp form on SL2 (Z).
Although the Eisenstein series
∞
X
E2 (z) = 1 − 24 σ1 (n)q n (1.4)
n=1

P∞
is not a modular form, it plays an important role. If f (z) = n=h a(n)q n is a weight k
meromorphic modular form on SL2 (Z), then

Θ(f ) = (f˜ + kf E2 )/12, (1.5)

 MODULAR FUNCTIONS AND DIVISORS OF MODULAR FORMS 3

where f˜ is a meromorphic modular form of weight k + 2 on SL2 (Z) (Note. The formulas
in (1.2) imply (1.5)). Because of this fact, the Θ-operator is fundamental in the theory
of p-adic modular forms and modular forms modulo p. For instance, if f is a p-adic
modular form of weight k, then since E2 is a p-adic modular form of weight 2, Θ(f ) is a
p-adic modular form of weight k + 2 [Th. 5, S].
Although Θ is simple to define, its arithmetic nature is much deeper and is dictated
by the f˜ appearing in (1.5). We derive an explicit formula for Θ(f ) in terms of a natural
sequence of modular functions jm (z). Let j0 (z) := 1, and for every positive integer m let
jm (z) be the unique modular function which is holomorphic on H, the upper half of the
complex plane, whose Fourier expansion is of the form
∞
X
−m
jm (z) = q + cm (n)q n . (1.6)
n=1

Notice that if m is a positive integer, then jm (z) = j1 (z) | T0 (m), where T0 (m) is the
usual normalized mth weight zero Hecke operator. The first few jm are:
j0 (z) = 1,
j1 (z) = j(z) − 744 = q −1 + 196884q + · · · ,
j2 (z) = j(z)2 − 1488j(z) + 159768 = q −2 + 42987520q + · · · ,
j3 (z) = j(z)3 − 2232j(z)2 + 1069956j(z) − 36866976 = q −3 + 2592899910q + · · ·
Each jm is a monic degree m polynomial in j with integer coefficients.
Let F denote the usual fundamental domain of the action of SL2 (Z)√ on H. By
√ F does not include the cusp at ∞. Throughout, let i = −1 and let
assumption,
ω := (1 + −3)/2. If τ ∈ F, then define eτ by

 1/2
 if τ = i,
eτ := 1/3 if τ = ω, (1.7)

1 otherwise.


For every point τ ∈ H, Asai, Kaneko, and Ninomiya [Th. 3, A-K-N] proved that
∞
X E42 (z)E6 (z) 1
Hτ (z) := jn (τ )q n = · . (1.8)
n=0
∆(z) j(z) − j(τ )

For τ = i and ω, we have the following beautiful formulas:

∞
E6 X
Hω = = jn (ω)q n , (1.9)
E4 n=0
∞
E8 X
Hi = = jn (i)q n . (1.10)
E6 n=0
4 JAN H. BRUINIER, WINFRIED KOHNEN AND KEN ONO

In particular, for every τ it turns out that Hτ is a weight 2 meromorphic modular form.
The utility of (1.8) was already known; for example, it can be used to prove that

∞
!
X pn
j(τ ) − j(z) = p−1 exp − jn (z) · ,
n=1
n

where p = e2πiτ . This identity is equivalent to the famous denominator formula for the
monster Lie algebra
Y
j(τ ) − j(z) = p−1 (1 − pm q n )c(mn) ,
m>0 and n∈Z

P∞
where the exponents c(n) are defined as the coefficients of j1 = n=−1 c(n)q n .
Here we obtain a new proof of (1.8) and consider many of its number theoretic conse-
quences.
P∞
Theorem 1. If f = n=h af (n)q n is a nonzero weight k meromorphic modular form
on SL2 (Z) for which af (h) = 1, then

kE2 f
Θ(f ) = − f fΘ ,
12

where fΘ is defined by
X
fΘ := eτ ordτ (f )Hτ (z).
τ ∈F

Theorem 1 easily reveals some algebraic information about the jn evaluated at the
finite points of the divisor of any meromorphic modular form. A celebrated result of
Schneider asserts that if τ is an algebraic number of degree > 2, then j(τ ) is transcen-
dental. Under certain conditions, we observe that the values of j at the points in the
divisor of an algebraic modular form are algebraic. Although there are more direct ways
of establishing this result, it follows rather nicely from Theorem 1.
P∞
Corollary 2. Let f = n=h af (n)q n be a meromorphic modular form on SL2 (Z) for
which af (h) = 1. If τ0 ∈ F is a point for which ordτ0 (f ) 6= 0 and the coefficients of f are
in a number field K, then j(τ0 ) is algebraic.
Using Borcherds’ work on infinite product expansions of modular forms, this corollary
generalizes the classical fact that j(τ ) is algebraic whenever τ is a Heegner point.
We consider the arithmetic of the Fourier coefficients of meromorphic modular forms.
If k ≥ 4 is an even integer and p is prime, then let Tk (p) be the usual Hecke operator.
 MODULAR FUNCTIONS AND DIVISORS OF MODULAR FORMS 5

P∞
In particular, if f = n=0 af (n)q n ∈ Mk (1), the space of holomorphic modular forms of
weight k on SL2 (Z), then

∞
X
af (np) + pk−1 af (n/p) q n .


f | Tk (p) := (1.11)
n=0

If f ∈ Sk (1), the space of weight k cusp forms on SL2 (Z), then f | Tk (p) ∈ Sk (1).
If Tk (p, x) denotes the characteristic polynomial of Tk (p) on Sk , then it is well known
that Tk (p, x) ∈ Z[x]. There is wide speculation that Tk (p, x) is irreducible for every
prime p, and has the additional property that the Galois group of its splitting field is
the symmetric group Sdk , where dk denotes the dimension of Sk (1). Here we express
these polynomials in terms of the values of jn at the zeros of the eigenforms in Sk (1)
(see (1.12)). We begin with the following universal recursion relation for certain modular
forms.
Theorem 3. For every n ≥ 2 define Fn (x1 , . . . , xn−1 ) ∈ Q[x1 , . . . , xn−1 ] by

2x1 σ1 (n − 1)
Fn (x1 , . . . , xn−1 ) := −
n−1
X (m1 + · · · + mn−2 − 1)! m1 mn−2
+ (−1)m1 +···+mn−2 · · x2 · · · xn−1 .
m1 ! · · · mn−2 !
m1 ,...,mn−2 ≥0,
m1 +2m2 +···+(n−2)mn−2 =n−1

P∞
If f = q + n=2 af (n)q n is a weight k meromorphic modular form on SL2 (Z), then for
every integer n ≥ 2 we have

1 X
af (n) = Fn (k, af (2), . . . , af (n − 1)) − eτ ordτ (f ) · jn−1 (τ ).
n−1
τ ∈F

It is simple to modify Theorem 3 for any modular form with leading coefficient 1.
The first few polynomials Fn are

F2 (x1 ) := −2x1 ,
x22
F3 (x1 , x2 ) := −3x1 + ,
2
8x1 x3
F4 (x1 , x2 , x3 ) := − − 2 + x2 x3 ,
3 3
7x1 x4 x2
F5 (x1 , x2 , x3 , x4 ) := − − x22 x3 + x2 x4 + 2 + 3 .
2 4 2
6 JAN H. BRUINIER, WINFRIED KOHNEN AND KEN ONO

By arguing inductively with Theorem 3, it turns out that every Fourier coefficient af (n)
is a Q-rational expression in the weight k and the values of j at the points in the divisor
of f .
P∞
Remark. Theorem 3 includes a simple recursion for the coefficients of ∆ = n=1 τ (n)q n .
Since ∆ has no zeros in F, for every n ≥ 2 we find that

τ (n) = Fn (12, τ (2), . . . , τ (n − 1)).

As a special case of Theorem 3, we obtain the following strange formula.

P∞
Corollary 4. If f = q + n=2 af (n)q n is a meromorphic modular form of weight k on
SL2 (Z), then X
af (2) = 60k − 744 − eτ ordτ (f ) · j(τ ).
τ ∈F

As an immediate consequence of Theorem 3, we obtain an expression for Tk (p, x). If dk

is the dimension of Sk (1), then for 1 ≤ s ≤ dk let
∞
X
fs = q + afs (n)q n
n=2

be the normalized Hecke eigenforms in Sk (1). For every prime p, we have

dk
!
Y 1 X
Tk (p, x) = x − Fp (k, afs (2), . . . , afs (p − 1)) + eτ ordτ (fs ) · jp−1 (τ ) .
p−1
s=1 τ ∈F
(1.12)
These results are closely related to Borcherds’ recent work on the infinite product
expansions of modular forms. Borcherds [B1, B2] provided a striking description for
the exponents in the infinite product expansion for those modular forms with a Heegner
divisor. For example, if the integers c(n) are defined by
∞
X ∞
Y
n −240 2 26760
E4 (z) = 1 + 240 σ3 (n)q = (1 − q) (1 − q ) ··· = (1 − q n )c(n) ,
n=1 n=1

then Borcherds’ theorem implies that there is a weight 1/2 meromorphic modular form
X
G(z) = b(n)q n = q −3 + 4 − 240q + 26760q 4 + · · · − 4096240q 9 + . . .
n≥−3

on Γ0 (4) with the property that c(n) = b(n2 ) for every positive integer n. We obtain
an arithmetic formula for the exponents of the infinite product expansion of every mero-
morphic modular form on SL2 (Z).
 MODULAR FUNCTIONS AND DIVISORS OF MODULAR FORMS 7

P∞
Theorem 5. Suppose that f = n=h af (n)q n is a weight k meromorphic modular form
on SL2 (Z) for which af (h) = 1, and let c(n) denote the complex numbers for which

∞
Y
h
f =q (1 − q n )c(n) .
n=1

If n is a positive integer, then

X X
c(d)d = 2kσ1 (n) + eτ ordτ (f ) · jn (τ ).
d|n τ ∈F

In an important paper [G-Z], Gross and Zagier described the divisibility properties
of differences of singular moduli. More recently [Z], Zagier described the arithmetic of
the traces of singular moduli in terms of the Fourier coefficients of modular forms of half
integral weight. Since the modular functions jn play an important role, we consider their
divisibility and congruence properties. We consider the arithmetic of the values of jn as
we vary n. First we obtain the following theorem for the special values at τ = ω and
τ = i.
Theorem 6. If τ = ω, then let M be a positive integer which is not divisible by a prime
p ≡ 1 (mod 3). If τ = i, then suppose that M is a positive integer which is not divisible
by a prime p ≡ 1 (mod 4). Then there is a positive real number α(M ) for which
 
X
#{1 ≤ n ≤ X : jn (τ ) ≡ 0 (mod M )} = O .
(log X)α(M )

In particular, for almost all n we have jn (τ ) ≡ 0 (mod M ).

In addition to results of this type, there are examples of explicit congruences. For
example, congruences with modulus 2k relating such values to Borcherds exponents follow
immediately from Theorem 5. We highlight two further types of congruence properties.
Theorem 7. If k ≥ 4 is even, then for every positive integer n we have
X Y
eτ ordτ (Ek ) · jn (τ ) ≡ −2kσ1 (n) (mod 4 p).
τ ∈F p−1|k
5≤p prime

P∞ n
Theorem 8. Let f = n=h af (n)q be a weight k meromorphic modular form on
SL2 (Z) whose coefficients are in OK , the ring of algebraic integers in a number field
K. Suppose that af (h) = 1 and that f has a Heegner divisor whose Heegner points in F
8 JAN H. BRUINIER, WINFRIED KOHNEN AND KEN ONO

are τ1 , τ2 , . . . , τt . Furthermore, suppose that p ∈ {2, 3, 5, 7} has the property that for all
1 ≤ s ≤ t we have 
 3 (mod 8)

if p = 2,

 1 (mod 3) if p = 3,
|dτs | ≡


 2, 3 (mod 5) if p = 5,

1, 2, 4 (mod 7) if p = 7.
If ν is a positive integer, then there is a positive real number α(p, ν) for which

t  
X
ν X
#{1 ≤ n ≤ X : eτc ordτc (f ) · jn (τc ) ≡ 0 (mod p )} = O .
c=1
(log X)α(p,ν)

Pt
In particular, for almost all n we have c=1 eτc ordτc · jn (τc ) ≡ 0 (mod pν ).
The p-adic properties of the values of the jn are closely related to the arithmetic of
class numbers of imaginary quadratic fields. Let H(−D) be the Hurwitz class number
for the discriminant −D.
Theorem 9. Suppose that −D < −4 is a fundamental discriminant of an imaginary
quadratic field, and let τ be any Heegner point of discriminant −D. If K = Q(j(τ )),
then the following are true:
(1) If D ≡ 3 (mod 8), then as 2-adic numbers we have

1
H(−D) = lim TrK/Q (j2n (τ )).
24 n→+∞

(2) If D ≡ 1 (mod 3), then as 3-adic numbers we have

1
H(−D) = lim TrK/Q (j3n (τ )).
12 n→+∞

(3) If D ≡ 2, 3 (mod 5), then as 5-adic numbers we have

1
H(−D) = lim TrK/Q (j5n (τ )).
6 n→+∞

(4) If D ≡ 1, 2, 4 (mod 7), then as 7-adic numbers we have

1
H(−D) = lim TrK/Q (j7n (τ )).
4 n→+∞
 MODULAR FUNCTIONS AND DIVISORS OF MODULAR FORMS 9

Remark. Analogs of Theorem 9 hold for −D = −3 (resp. −D = −4). Subject to

the same congruence conditions on D, these results simply require replacing jpn (τ ) by
jpn (ω)/3 (resp. jpn (i)/2). Moreover, simple analogs hold for every −D, not just those
which are fundamental. More generally, there are analogs of Theorem 8 and 9 for primes
p ≥ 11, but these results are more complicated to state.
If D ≡ 3 (mod 8), it turns out that the 2-adic behavior of these traces, for all jn , are
also controlled by the class number H(−D). Using the fact that the Hecke algebra for
holomorphic modular forms is locally nilpotent at 2, we obtain the following 2-divisibility
results. Let ω(n) denote the number of distinct prime factors of n.
Theorem 10. Suppose that −3 6= −D ≡ 5 (mod 8) is a fundamental discriminant of
an imaginary quadratic field, and suppose that τ is a Heegner point of discriminant −D.
If K = Q(j(τ )) and s ≥ 4, then

TrK/Q (jn (τ )) ≡ 0 (mod 2s )

for every positive square-free integer n for which

ω(n) > 2s−4 H(−D).

Theorem 10 yields theoretical lower bounds for H(−D). To state these results, for
D ≡ 0, 3 (mod 4), let
∞
Y
F (D; z) = q −H(−D) (1 − q n )cD (n) (1.13)
n=1

be the unique weight zero modular function on SL2 (Z), with leading coefficient one,
whose divisor consists of a pole of order H(−D) at z = ∞ and a simple zero at each
Heegner point with discriminant −D. These functions have integer coefficients. Consider
the formal power series
∞ ∞ X
Θ(F (D; z)) X
n
X
:= −H(−D) − A(D; n)q = −H(−D) − cD (d)dq n . (1.14)
F (D; z) n=0 n=1 d|n

Corollary 11. Suppose that −3 6= −D ≡ 5 (mod 8) is a fundamental discriminant of

an imaginary quadratic field. If s ≥ 4 and there is an odd square-free integer n for which
ord2 (A(D; n)) < s, then
ω(n) 1
H(−D) > s−4 − .
2 s 3 · 2s−3
It will be extremely interesting to see whether a detailed study of the Hecke algebra
modulo powers of 2, perhaps combined with further 2-adic arguments, can be used to
10 JAN H. BRUINIER, WINFRIED KOHNEN AND KEN ONO

transform Corollary 11 into a lower bound like the celebrated bound due to Goldfeld,
Gross and Zagier.
In §2 we prove Theorems 1, 3, and 5, and Corollaries 2 and 4. In §3 we prove Theorems
6, 7, 8 and 9. There we consider the p-adic behavior of the Θ-operator under certain
conditions. In §4 we prove Theorem 10 and Corollary 11 using an analysis of the behavior
of the Hecke algebra on modular forms modulo 2.

2. Proof of Theorems 1, 3, and 5 and Corollaries 2 and 4.

For convenience, we begin by proving Theorem 5 on the infinite product expansion of
generic modular forms. Before we prove Theorem 5, we call attention to earlier work of
Eholzer and Skoruppa [E-S] which also considers product expansions of modular forms.
P∞
Proposition 2.1. Let f = n=h af (n)q n be a meromorphic function in a neighborhood
of q = 0, and suppose that af (h) = 1. Then there are uniquely determined complex
numbers c(n) such that
Y∞
h
f =q (1 − q n )c(n) ,
n=1

where the product converges in a small neighborhood of q = 0. Moreover, the following

identity is true
∞ X
Θ(f ) X
=h− c(d)dq n .
f n=1 d|n

Proof. As usual, we understand that complex powers are defined by the principal branch
of the complex logarithm. If F (q) := f (z), then the function qF 0 (q)/F (q) is holomorphic
at q = 0. Write its Taylor expansion as
X
qF 0 (q)/F (q) = h − α(n)q n (|q| < ) (2.1)
n≥1

and for n ≥ 1 let

1X
c(n) := α(d)µ(n/d),
n
d|n

where µ denotes the Möbius function. This implies that

X
α(n) = c(d)d. (2.2)
d|n

Obviously, the numbers c(n) are uniquely determined by f .

 MODULAR FUNCTIONS AND DIVISORS OF MODULAR FORMS 11

For fixed q0 with |q0 | <  we have α(n) = O(|q0 |−n ) for all n, and this easily implies
that the double series X
c(n)nq mn
m,n≥1

is absolutely convergent in |q| < |q0 |, hence in |q| < .

In the following, suppose that |q| < . From the above we see that

d F 0 (q) h
log(F (q)q −h ) = −
dq F (q) q
 
X d  X q mn 
=− c(n)
dq m
n≥1 m≥1

d X
c(n) log(1 − q n ) ,


=
dq
n≥1

the interchange of differentiation and summation being justified because of local uniform
convergence as can easily be seen in a similar way as above.
We thus obtain X
log(F (q)q −h ) = c(n) log(1 − q n ).
n≥1

The values c(n) log(1 − q n ) and log(1 − q n )c(n) differ by integer multiples of 2πi. Since
c(n) log(1 − q n ) → 0 (n → ∞) the same is true for log(1 − q n )c(n) , hence we see that
there is an integer N such that
X
log(F (q)q −h ) = log(1 − q n )c(n) + 2πiN.
n≥1

Taking the exponential on both sides proves our claim.


Proof of Theorem 5. Let

1
F := {z ∈ H : |z| ≥ 1, |Re (z)| ≤ }
2

be the standard fundamental domain for the action of SL2 (Z) on H. We cut off F
by a horizontal line L := {iC − t : − 21 ≤ t ≤ 12 } where C > 0 is chosen so large
that all poles and zeros of f , apart from those at the cusp at infinity, are contained in
{z ∈ H : Im (z) < C}.
12 JAN H. BRUINIER, WINFRIED KOHNEN AND KEN ONO

For simplicity, suppose that f has no zero or pole on the boundary ∂F except possibly
i or ω (if not one has to modify the arguments in the same way as in the classical proof
k
of the “ 12 -identity”).
We let γ be the closed path with positive orientation consisting of L and γ1 where γ1
is the part of ∂F below L modified in the usual way: in a small neighborhood U of ω
resp. i resp. −ρ we replace U ∩ ∂F by F ∩ Cω resp. F ∩ Ci resp. F ∩ C−ω where Cω resp.
Ci resp. C−ω are small circles with radius r around ω resp. i resp. −ω.
0
1 f (z)
We integrate 2πi f (z) jn (z) along γ. By the residue theorem, taking into account that
jn (z) is holomorphic on H, this integral is equal to
X
ordτ (f )jn (τ ).
τ ∈F−{ω,i}

On the other hand, the integral can be evaluated separately along the different pieces of
γ, in a well-known way. If we let r tend to zero, we then find that
F 0 (q)
Z
X 1 1 1
ordτ (f )jn (τ ) = − ordω (f )jn (ω) − ordi (f )jn (i) + Jn (q)dq (2.3)
3 2 2πi ρ F (q)
τ ∈F−{ω,i}
Z
k jn (z)
− dz.
2πi σ z
Here F (q) = f (z) as before and Jn (q) := jn (z). Furthermore, ρ is a small circle around
q = 0 with negative orientation and not containing any pole or zero of F (q) except
possibly 0, and σ is the part of the unit circle in the upper half-plane that connects ω
and i, with positive orientation.
By Proposition 2.1, for |q| <  we see that
∞ X
qF 0 (q) Θ(f ) X
= =h− c(d)dq n ,
F (q) f n=1 d|n

where h is the order of F at q = 0. Hence recalling that Jn (q) = q −n + O(q) we find that

F 0 (q)
Z
1 X
Jn (q)dq = c(d)d. (2.4)
2πi ρ F (q)
d|n

We cannot directly evaluate the last integral on the right-hand side of (2.3). Instead
we proceed as follows. Formula (2.3) in particular is valid for the function f = ∆ of
weight 12. In this case we have
X
c(d)d = 24σ1 (m) (m ≥ 1),
d|m
 MODULAR FUNCTIONS AND DIVISORS OF MODULAR FORMS 13

by definition. Since ∆ has no zeros on H, we obtain from (2.3) that

Z
1 jn (z)
dz = 2σ1 (n). (2.5)
2πi σ z

Inserting (2.4) and (2.5) into (2.3), we deduce the theorem.


Proof of Theorem 1. We begin by proving that if

Θ(f ) kE2
= − fΘ , (2.6)
f 12

then fΘ has the claimed form. If n is a positive integer, thenPProposition 2.1 and Theorem
n
5 imply that the coefficient of q in Θ(f )/f is −2kσ1 (n) − τ ∈F eτ ordτ (f ) · jn (τ ). Since
the E2 is given by
∞
X
E2 = 1 − 24 σ1 (n)q n ,
n=1

(2.6) verifies the truth Theorem 1 for every coefficient with the exception of the constant
term. The constant term P in Θ(f )/f is h = ord∞ (f ). However, the constant term of
k
kE2 /12 − fΘ is 12 − τ ∈F eτ ordτ (f ) which equals h by the classical “k/12” valence
formula.

Proof of Corollary 2. We begin by fixing notation. Let τ1 , τ2 , . . . , τt ∈ F be the numbers
for which ordτ (f ) 6= 0. If n is a positive integer, then the coefficient of q n in kE2 /12 is
the integer −2kσ1 (n). Therefore by Theorem 1, if the Fourier coefficients of f are in a
field K, then the coefficients of fΘ and 1/f belong to K. Hence if n is a positive integer,
then
Xt t
X
jn (τs ) = Gn (j(τs )) ∈ K. (2.7)
s=1 s=1

where Gn ∈ Z[x] is a monic polynomial of degree n. Since j1 = j − 744, for every positive
integer n we have
X t
j(τs )n ∈ K.
s=1

Therefore, by solving for the elementary symmetric functions in j(τ1 ), . . . , j(τt ), we find
that
t
Y
(x − j(τs )) ∈ K[x].
s=1
14 JAN H. BRUINIER, WINFRIED KOHNEN AND KEN ONO

This proves the corollary.


Proof of Theorem 3. By Theorem 1, we have that
∞
X X Θ(f ) kE2
eτ ordτ (f ) jn (τ )q n = − + .
f 12
τ ∈F n=0

If n ≥ 2, then Theorem 5 gives

X X
eτ ordτ (f )jn−1 (τ ) = c(d)d − 2kσ1 (n − 1),
τ ∈F d|n−1

where
∞
Y
f =q (1 − q n )c(n) .
n=1

P Therefore, to prove the theorem it suffices to obtain a closed formula for b(n) :=
d|n c(d)d in terms of af (n). In particular, it suffices to show that if n ≥ 1, then

X
b(n) = n (−1)m1 +···+mn
m1 ,...,mn ≥0,
m1 +2m2 +...+nmn =n
(m1 + · · · + mn − 1)!
× af (2)m1 · · · af (n + 1)mn .
m1 ! · · · mn !
(2.8)

To prove (2.8), one observes that

0 = b(n) + b(n − 1)af (2) + b(n − 2)af (3) + · · · + b(1)af (n) + naf (n + 1),

and uses the well known fact that

0 = sn − sn−1 σ1 + sn−2 σ2 − · · · + (−1)n−1 s1 σn−1 + (−1)n nσn .

Here the σi are the elementary symmetric functions in X1 , . . . , Xn and the si are the
power functions in these variables (i.e. si := X1i + · · · + Xni ). One now obtains (2.8)
by evaluating these identities at (X1 , ..., Xn ) = (λ(1, n), ..., λ(n, n)) where the λ(j, n) are
the roots of the polynomial

X n + af (2)X n−1 + af (3)X n−2 + · · · + af (n + 1).

 MODULAR FUNCTIONS AND DIVISORS OF MODULAR FORMS 15

One requires the fact that

X (m1 + m2 + · · · + mn − 1)! m1
si = i (−1)m2 +m4 +... σ1 · · · σnmn .
m1 !m2 ! · · · mn !
m1 ,...,mn ≥0,
m1 +2m2 +···+nmn =i


k
P
Proof of Corollary 4. Since j1 (z) = j(z) − 744 and τ ∈F eτ ordτ (f ) = 12 − 1, this result
is the n = 2 case of Theorem 3.


3. Proof of Theorems 6, 7 , 8 and 9.

In this section we prove Theorems 6, 7, 8 and 9 using theorems of Serre on p-adic
modular forms and the divisibility of the Fourier coefficients of modular forms modulo
M (see [S, S2]) .
Proof of Theorem 6. By (1.9) and (1.10), it suffices to prove that the coefficients of the
Fourier series
∞
E6 X
Hω = = jn (ω)q n = 1 − 744q + 159768q 2 − 36866976q 3 + · · · , (3.1)
E4 n=0
∞
E8 X
Hi = = jn (i)q n = 1 + 984q + 574488q 2 + 307081056q 3 + · · · (3.2)
E6 n=0

satisfy the claim.

Since z = i (resp. z = ω) is fixed by the modular transformation Sz = −1/z (resp.
Az = −(z + 1)/z), the definition of a modular form implies that if k ≥ 4 is even, then

k ≡ 2 (mod 4) =⇒ Ek (i) = 0,
k ≡ 2, 4 (mod 6) =⇒ Ek (ω) = 0.

If p ≥ 5 is prime, then these observations together with the von Staudt-Clausen Theorem
[p. 233, I-R] and (1.3) imply that if p 6≡ 1 (mod 4), then there is an Eisenstein series
Ei,p for which
Ei,p (i) = 0 and Ei,p ≡ 1 (mod 24p), (3.3)
and if p 6≡ 1 (mod 3), then there is an Eisenstein series Eω,p for which

Eω,p (ω) = 0 and Eω,p ≡ 1 (mod 24p). (3.4)

16 JAN H. BRUINIER, WINFRIED KOHNEN AND KEN ONO

s
Now observe that if H ≡ 1 (mod `), where ` is prime, then H ` ≡ 1 (mod `s+1 ). If
p1 6≡ 1 (mod 4) is prime, then for every positive integer s we have that
E8 E8 ps
≡ · Ei,p1 1 (mod ps+1
1 ). (3.5)
E6 E6
Similarly, if p2 6≡ 1 (mod 3) is prime, then
E6 E6 ps2
≡ · Eω,p 2 (mod ps+1
2 ). (3.6)
E4 E4
Since E4 (ω) = 0 (resp. E6 (i) = 0) and E4 (resp. E6 ) has no other zeros in F, (3.3)
and (3.5) (resp. (3.4) and (3.6)) illustrate that the relevant forms are the reduction
modulo ps+1
i of holomorphic integer weight modular forms on SL2 (Z). There are obvious
analogous constructions for both forms modulo powers of 2 and 3. The theorem now
follows from a well known theorem of Serre which asserts that almost all the coefficients
of a modular form with algebraic integer coefficients are multiples of any given integer
M [Th. 4.7, S2].

Proof of Theorem 7. By (1.3) and the von Staudt-Clausen Theorem, if k ≥ 4 is even,
then Y
Ek ≡ 1 (mod 4 p).
p−1|k
p prime

This observation and Theorem 1 imply that

Θ(Ek ) kE2 Y
0≡ = − (Ek )Θ (mod 4 p)
Ek 12
p−1|k
p prime

The theorem follows from (1.4).


Proof of Theorem 8. By [Cor. 3, Br-O], Θ(f )/f is a p-adic modular form of weight 2.
Since the Eisenstein series E2 is also a p-adic modular form of weight 2 [S], we find that
∞
Θ(f ) kE2 X X
fΘ = − + = eτ ordτ (f ) jn (τ )q n
f 12 n=0
τ inf F

is a p-adic modular form of weight 2. Therefore, fΘ (mod pν ) is the reduction modulo pν

of some holomorphic integer weight modular form on SL2 (Z). The theorem now follows
from [Th. 4.7, S2].
 MODULAR FUNCTIONS AND DIVISORS OF MODULAR FORMS 17


Proof of Theorem 9. If 0 < D ≡ 0, 3 (mod 4), then there is a unique meromorphic
modular form of weight 1/2 on Γ0 (4) that is holomorphic on H whose Fourier series has
the form [Lemma 14.2, B]

∞
X
−D
f (D; z) = q + c(D; n)q n , (3.7)
n=1

where c(D; n) = 0 for every n ≡ 2, 3 (mod 4). Borcherds’ theory [B1, B2] implies that

∞
Y 2
F (D; z) = q −H(−D) (1 − q n )c(D;n )
(3.8)
n=1

is a weight zero modular function on SL2 (Z) whose divisor consists of a pole of order
H(−D) at z = ∞ and a simple zero at each Heegner point with discriminant −D. For
each D we consider the following formal power series (also defined in (1.14))

∞
X ∞ X
X
F(D; q) = −H(−D) − A(D; n)q n := −H(−D) − c(D; d2 )dq n . (3.9)
n=0 n=1 d|n

If D and p satisfy the hypotheses of the theorem, then [Cor. 3, Br-O] implies that
F(D; q) is a p-adic modular form of weight 2. Serre proved [Th. 7, S], for certain p-adic
modular forms, that the constant term of the Fourier expansion is essentially the p-adic
limit of its Fourier coefficients at exponents which are pth powers. In these cases we
obtain  1 n
 24 limn→+∞ A(D; 2 ) if D ≡ 3 (mod 8),

 1 lim
 n
if D ≡ 1 (mod 3),
12 n→+∞ A(D; 3 )
H(−D) = 1 n
(3.10)
 lim n→+∞ A(D; 5 ) if D ≡ 2, 3 (mod 5),
 61


n
4 limn→+∞ A(D; 7 ) if D ≡ 1, 2, 4 (mod 7).
Since F (D; z) has weight zero, for every positive integer n Theorem 5 implies

A(D; pn ) = jpn (τ1 ) + · · · + jpn (τH(−D) ),

where τ1 , . . . , τH(−D) ∈ F are the Heegner points of discriminant −D. Since the j(τi )
are conjugates over Q, the theorem follows from (3.10) and the fact that each jn is an
integral polynomial in j.

18 JAN H. BRUINIER, WINFRIED KOHNEN AND KEN ONO

4. Proof of Theorem 10 and Corollary 11.

We adopt the notation from the proof of Theorem 9. We begin by recalling the
following theorem which is proved in [Cor. 3, Br-O].
Theorem 4.1. If 0 < D ≡ 3 (mod 8), then F(D; q) is a weight two 2-adic modular
form.
Using the local nilpotency of the Hecke algebra on modular forms of SL2 (Z) modulo
2, we make the following vital observation.
P∞
Theorem 4.2. Suppose that f = n=0 a(n)q n ∈ Mk (1) has integer coefficients. If s is
a positive integer and t ≥ ks
12 , then for every set of odd primes p1 , p2 , . . . , pt we have

f | Tk (p1 ) | Tk (p2 ) | · · · | Tk (pt ) ≡ 0 (mod 2s ).

Proof. Begin by noticing that the Fourier expansion of every Eisenstein series on SL2 (Z)
is congruent to 1 modulo 2. Serre [S2] observed that the Hecke operators act nilpotently
on Sk (1) (mod 2), the space of cusp forms modulo 2 on SL2 (Z). If ∆ ∈ S12 (1) is the
unique normalized weight 12 cusp form
∞
Y
∆(z) = q (1 − q n )24 = q − 24q 2 + · · · ,
n=1

then Sk (1) (mod 2) has F2 -basis

{∆i (mod 2) : 1 ≤ i ≤ bk/12c}.

Serre’s observation implies that if j is a positive integer, then

j−1
X
j
∆ | Tk (p) ≡ α(i)∆i (mod 2)
i=1

where α(i) ∈ F2 , and so we have

f | Tk (p1 ) | Tk (p2 ) | · · · | Tk (pt ) ≡ 0 (mod 2) (4.1)

whenever t ≥ k/12. One easily obtains the result by successive division by 2 and iteration
of (4.1).

As an immediate corollary, we obtain the following inequality.
 MODULAR FUNCTIONS AND DIVISORS OF MODULAR FORMS 19

P∞
Corollary 4.3. Suppose that f = n=1 a(n)q n ∈ Mk (1) has integer coefficients. If s is
a positive integer, then

ks
max{ω(n) : n odd and square-free with ord2 (a(n)) < s} < .
12

Proof. If t ≥ ks/12,
P∞ then let p1 , p2 , . . . , pt be distinct odd primes. Let f0 := f , and for
1 ≤ i ≤ t let fi = n=0 ai (n)q n be the modular forms defined inductively by

fi := fi−1 | Tk (pi ). (4.2)

By Theorem 4.2, we have

at (M ) ≡ 0 (mod 2s )
for every M . In particular, (4.2) implies that

0 ≡ at (1)
= at−1 (pt )
= at−2 (pt−1 pt )
..
.
= a(p1 p2 · · · pt ) (mod 2s ).

This completes the proof.


Theorem 4.4. If s ≥ 4 and 0 < D ≡ 3 (mod 8), then F(D; q) (mod 2s ) is the reduction
modulo 2s of a modular form with integer coefficients in Mk(D,s) (1) where

k(D, s) := 12 · 2s−4 H(−D) + 2.

Proof. By construction [Prop. 2.1, Br-O], we have

Θ(F (D; z))

F(D; q) = . (4.3)
F (D; z)

We see that F(D; q) is a weight 2 meromorphic modular form on SL2 (Z) which is non-
vanishing at infinity. Moreover, it has a simple zero at each Heegner point τ with dis-
criminant −D and no other singularities.
20 JAN H. BRUINIER, WINFRIED KOHNEN AND KEN ONO

It is well known that j(ω) = 0. Let τ1 , · · · τH(−D) denote the Heegner points of
discriminant −D. For each 1 ≤ i ≤ H(−D) define E(D, i; z) by
 
3 j(τi )
E(D, i; z) := E4 (z) · 1 − . (4.4)
j(z)

Observe that the modular function 1 − j(τ i)

j(z) has a simple pole at z = ω and a simple
zero at z = τi . Since E43 (z) has a simple zero at z = ω, the modular form E(D, i; z)
is a holomorphic modular form in M12 (1). Since E4 (z) ≡ 1 (mod 16) and j(τi ) ≡ 0
(mod 215 ) (see [G-Z]), we have that

E(D, i; z) ≡ 1 (mod 16).

Hence, if s ≥ 4, then
s−4
E(D, i; z)2 ≡1 (mod 2s ).
Therefore if s ≥ 4, then
H(−D)
Θ(F (D; z)) Y s−4
F(D; q) ≡ · E(D, i; z)2 (mod 2s ). (4.5)
F (D; z) i=1

The modular form on the right hand side of (4.5) is holomorphic and has weight

k(D, s) = 12 · 2s−4 H(−D) + 2.

This completes the proof.


Proof of Theorem 10 and Corollary 11. By Corollary 4.3 and Theorem 4.4, we have that
if A(D; n) 6≡ 0 (mod 2s ), then

k(D, s)s
ω(n) <
12
(12 · 2s−4 H(−D) + 2)s
=
12
s−4
= 2 s · H(−D) + s/6.

Therefore, we find that

ω(n) 1
− < H(−D).
2 s 3 · 2s−3
s−4

This completes the proof.


 MODULAR FUNCTIONS AND DIVISORS OF MODULAR FORMS 21

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Department of Mathematics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706

E-mail address: [email protected]

Mathematisches Institut, Universität Heidelberg, INF 288, D-69120 Heidelberg, Ger-

many
E-mail address: [email protected]

Department of Mathematics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706

E-mail address: [email protected]