The Diophantine equation $aX^{4} - bY^{2} = 1$

Abstract

As an application of the method of Thue-Siegel, we will resolve a conjecture of Walsh to the effect that the Diophantine equation $aX^{4} - bY^2=1$, for fixed positive integers $a$ and $b$, possesses at most two solutions in positive integers $X$ and $Y$. Since there are infinitely many pairs $(a,b)$ for which two such solutions exist, this result is sharp.