The average number of subgroups of elliptic curves over finite fields

Abstract

By adapting the technique of David, Koukoulopoulos and Smith for computing sums of Euler products, and using their interpretation of results of Schoof \`a la Gekeler, we determine the average number of subgroups (or cyclic subgroups) of an elliptic curve over a fixed finite field of prime size. This is in line with previous works computing the average number of (cyclic) subgroups of finite abelian groups of rank at most 2. A required input is a good estimate for the divisor function in both short interval and arithmetic progressions, that we obtain by combining ideas of Ivi\'c--Zhai and Blomer.