Linear forms in logarithms and their applications

From elementary height and approximation bounds to Baker's theorem, effective logarithmic estimates and their Diophantine applications.

This edition contains Lessons 1–9, the available sections of Lesson 10, and Lessons 11–22, with proofs, worked examples, original figures, exercises and solutions. It covers qualitative and effective Baker estimates, complex logarithmic forms, p-adic analysis, determinant bounds and Yu-type estimates, followed by applications to powers of two and three, irrationality measures, S-unit gaps, 3x+1 cycles, the many-to-two logarithm reduction, regulator bounds, the effective unit equation, Thue equations, effective irrationality bounds, binomial families, S-unit and primitive Thue–Mahler equations, superelliptic and hyperelliptic equations, affine curves of genus one, Mordell bounds, the Ramanujan–Nagell equation, primitive divisors, effective Catalan finiteness, fixed-variable Pillai equations, quadratic forms and class numbers, products of Dirichlet L-functions and their explicit limit formula, the complete class-number-one argument and the genus-character reduction for class number two, the Stewart–Tijdeman construction for abc triples and effective bounds in terms of their radicals, the Stewart–Yu one-third bound and its least-greatest-prime refinement, and complete equation resolutions by continued fractions and certified lattice reduction. The concluding lesson treats algebraic groups and the analytic subgroup theorem, abelian logarithms and periods, geometric relations between 1-periods, explicit elliptic logarithm bounds, integral points, and precisely stated open problems. The full programme has 22 lessons.

  1. Linear forms in logarithms: the problem, the trivial bounds, and effectivity
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  2. Baker's theorem I: building an auxiliary function
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  3. Baker's theorem II: extrapolation and the end of the proof
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  4. Effective lower bounds I: Baker's theorem and its arithmetic tools
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  5. Effective lower bounds II: proof of Baker's theorem
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  6. Two logarithms I: interpolation determinants
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  7. Two logarithms II: explicit lower bounds
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  8. Linear forms in many logarithms: the modern estimates and how to use them
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  9. p-adic analysis for linear forms in logarithms
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  10. Two p-adic logarithms: determinant bounds
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  11. Powers of two and three, S-unit gaps, and 3x+1 cycles
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  12. From many logarithms to two, and the unit equation
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  13. Thue equations, effectively
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  14. S-unit equations and Thue–Mahler equations
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  15. Superelliptic, hyperelliptic and Mordell equations
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  16. Perfect powers: primitive divisors, Catalan and Pillai
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  17. Class numbers I: products of L-functions and a limit formula
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  18. Class numbers II: class number one (and two)
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  19. Towards abc I: the theorems of Stewart and Tijdeman
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  20. Towards abc II: the theorems of Stewart and Yu
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  21. Solving Diophantine equations completely: reduction, lattices and certificates
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  22. Beyond: elliptic logarithms, the analytic subgroup theorem, and open problems
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