On the non-vanishing of generalized Kato classes for elliptic curves of rank $2$

Abstract

We prove the first cases of a conjecture by Darmon--Rotger on the non-vanishing of generalized Kato classes attached to elliptic curves $E$ over $\mathbf{Q}$ of rank $2$. Our method also shows that the non-vanishing of generalized Kato classes implies that the $p$-adic Selmer group of $E$ is $2$-dimensional. The main novelty in the proof is a formula for the leading term at the trivial character of an anticyclotomic $p$-adic $L$-function attached to $E$ in terms of the derived $p$-adic height of generalized Kato classes and an enhanced $p$-adic regulator.