Semi-stable models, local heights and quadratic Chabauty for $X_0(N)^*$

Abstract

Quadratic Chabauty computations for $X_0(N)^*$ are complicated by local height contributions at primes of bad reduction. For squarefree $N$, we explain a strategy for constructing a global $p$-adic height for which all the contributions at the primes of bad reduction vanish. As our first main result, we show that such a $p$-adic height exists for all squarefree levels $N>714$. In order to do this, we first give an explicit description of the minimal regular model of $X_0(N)^*$ at primes of bad reduction, and show this model is semi-stable. Each component of this model gives rise to a linear condition which ensures that the contribution at that component vanishes. Using embeddings of quadratic orders into quaternion algebras, we obtain an upper bound for the number of these conditions; when the genus of $X_0(N)^*$ is greater than one more than this bound, there is enough freedom to choose a suitable correspondence, simplifying quadratic Chabauty computations. As an application, we determine the rational points on several curves $X_0(N)^*$ for which this was not done before.