Symplectic groups and permutation polynomials. II (Q1609403)

In 1993 \textit{M. D. Fried, R. M. Guralnik} and \textit{J. Saxl} [Isr. J. Math. 82, 157-225 (1993; Zbl 0855.11063)] settled Carlitz's conjecture on so-called exceptional polynomials. In the same paper they surmised that for \(p=2,3\) and any odd \(u>1\), there exists an exceptional polynomial \(h(Y)\in\text{GF}(q)\) of degree \(\frac 12 q(q-1)\) with \(\text{Gal}(h(Y)-X,\text{GF}(\overline{p}(X)))=\text{PSL}(2,q),\) where \(q=p^u .\) In 1994 for \(p=2\) this conjecture was validated by \textit{P. Müller} [Contemp. Math. 168, 245-249 (1994; Zbl 0818.11047)] and \textit{S. D. Cohen} and \textit{R. H. Matthews} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 345, 897-909 (1994; Zbl 0812.11070)]. For \(p=3\) the conjecture was validated by \textit{H. W. Lenstra jun.} and \textit{M. Zieve} [Lond. Math. Soc. Lect. Note Ser. 233, 209-218 (1996; Zbl 0871.11087)]. In 1992 the author [Bull. Am. Math. Soc., New Ser. 27, 68-133 (1992; Zbl 0760.12002)] considered a trinomial \(F(X,Y)=Y^{1+q}+XY+1\) and showed that \(\text{Gal}(F,\text{GF}(\overline{p}(X)))=\text{PSL}(2,q).\) It seemed obvious that for \(p=2\) the polynomial \(F\) must somehow be related to the polynomial found by Müller, Cohen and Matthews. The author shows how to get this polynomial by a deformation of \(F\). By some observations and with the help of MANTRA the author gets a polynomial of degree \(\frac 12 q^m(q^m-1)\) which provides a strong genus zero orthogonal group covering for \(p=2\) in the sense of his paper with \textit{N. Inglis} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 353, 2941-2969 (2001; Zbl 0992.12002)]. The paper consists of two parts. The first one is a preamble with a summary of Part I [Algebra, arithmetic, geometry, Part I, II, Mumbai 2000, Tata Inst. Fundam. Res. Stud. Math. 16, 1-96 (2002)]. The second part, which is the main part of the paper, contains proofs of crucial facts on this new polynomial, among others on the Galois group produced by it.