Automorphs of indefinite binary quadratic forms and K3-surfaces with Picard number 2

Abstract

Every indefinite binary form occurs as the Picard lattice of some K3-surface. The group of its isometries, or automorphs, coincides with the automorphism group of the K3-surface, but only up to finite groups. The classical theory of automorphs for binary forms can then be applied to study these automorphism groups. The result is a precise description of all possible automorphism groups of ``general'' K3's with Picard number two.