The projective characterization of elliptic plane curves which have one place at infinity

Abstract

In this paper we consider smooth affine elliptic plane curves having one place at infinity. We identify them with elliptic projective plane curves having only one cusp as their singular points and meeting with the line at infinity only at the cusp. We characterize such curves by the self-intersection number of the strict transform of them via the minimal embedded resolution of their cusp. Furthermore, we prove that the self-intersection number of them is the maximum value among those of all the elliptic plane curves having only one cusp.