A Splitting Criterion for Galois Representations Associated to Exceptional Modular Forms (mod p)

This paper continues the study of certain two-dimensional Galois representations attached to modular forms (mod p) via a construction due to Deligne. In particular, we prove a criterion for determining when the representation is split when restricted to a decomposition group at p.While this problem was already well understood for "nonexceptional" modular forms, here we specifically address the "exceptional" case. Although the problem is not solved in all generality, it is reasonable to hope that this proof will in fact provide the framework of a proof in the more general case.