On \(p\)-adic zeros of systems of diagonal forms restricted by a congruence condition (Q2642764)

For a prime \(p\) and natural numbers \(k\) and \(R\) satisfying \(p\nmid k\) and \(R>1\), the authors look into the system of equations of the form \[ a_{i1}x_1^k+\cdots+a_{iN}x_N^k=0 \qquad (i=1,\ldots,R), \] with integer coefficients \(a_{ij}\). The main theorem of the paper asserts that the system possesses a non-trivial \(p\)-adic zero, provided that \(N\geq2\cdot3^{R-1}\cdot k+1\) and that the following assumption (A) is satisfied; (A) whenever \(a\), \(b\), \(c\) and \(d\) are integers with \(abc\not\equiv0\) (mod \(p\)), then the congruence \(ax^k+by^k+cz^k\equiv d\pmod p\) has a solution with \(xyz\not\equiv0\pmod p\). Since Meir had shown that the condition (A) is valid for \(p>k^4\), it follows immediately from the theorem that if \(p>k^4\) and \(N\geq2\cdot3^{R-1}\cdot k+1\), then the above system always has a non-trivial \(p\)-adic zero. The latter conclusion may be compared to the results due to \textit{O. D. Atkinson, J. Brüdern} and \textit{R. J. Cook} [Mathematika 39, 1--9 (1992; Zbl 0774.11016)] and to \textit{I. D. Meir} [J. Number Theory 63, 132--142 (1997; Zbl 0871.11024)]. In fact, the above corollary to the main theorem of the paper provides a better condition on the prime \(p\) at the cost of the restriction on \(N\). The authors announce that they can relax the constraint \(p>k^4\) above in many cases, and for example, when \(k=5\), they can replace it by \(p>101\).