$p$-adic equidistribution of CM points

Abstract

Let X be a modular curve and consider a sequence of Galois orbits of CM points in X , whose p -conductors tend to infinity. Its equidistribution properties in X(\mathbf{C}) and in the reductions of X modulo primes different from p are well understood. We study the equidistribution problem in the Berkovich analytification X_{p}^{\operatorname{an}} of X_{\operatorname{Q}_{p}} . We partition the set of CM points of sufficiently high conductor in X_{\operatorname{Q}_{p}} into finitely many explicit basins B_{V} , indexed by the irreducible components V of the \bmod\text{-}p reduction of the canonical model of X . We prove that a sequence z_{n} of local Galois orbits of CM points with p -conductor going to infinity has a limit in X_{p}^{\operatorname{an}} if and only if it is eventually supported in a single basin B_{V} . If so, the limit is the unique point of X_{p}^{\operatorname{an}} whose mod- p reduction is the generic point of V . The result is proved in the more general setting of Shimura curves over totally real fields. The proof combines Gross's theory of quasi-canonical liftings with a new formula for the intersection numbers of CM curves and vertical components in a Lubin–Tate space.