Class number growth of a family of \(\mathbb{Z}_p\)-extensions over global function fields (Q1383949)

Let \(k\) be a global function field of characteristic \(p\) and let \(k_\infty/k\) be a \(\mathbb{Z}_p\)-extension. Let \(k_n\) be the \(n\)th layer of \(k_\infty/k\), i.e. \(k_n/k\) is the unique subextension of \(k_\infty/k\) such that \(\text{Gal} (k_n/k) \simeq \mathbb{Z}/p^n \mathbb{Z}\). Let \(g_n\) be the genus of \(k_n\). Suppose that there exists a place \(v\) of \(k\) which is totally ramified in \(k_\infty\). Then \textit{R. Gold} and \textit{H. Kisilevsky} have proved [Manuscr. Math. 62, 145-161 (1988; Zbl 0662.12016)] \[ \lim\inf_n {g_n \over p^{2n}} \geq{p-1 \over 2p^2}. \] One may ask if the bound of Gold and Kisilevsky is the best. In this article, the authors construct a \(\mathbb{Z}_p\)-extension \(k_\infty/k\) such that \[ \lim_n {g_n \over p^{2n}} ={1\over 2 (p+1)}. \] Let's give a brief idea of their construction. Let \(\mathbb{F}_q\) be a finite field having \(q\) elements and let \(p\) be the characteristic of \(\mathbb{F}_q\). Let \(T\) be an indeterminate over \(\mathbb{F}_q\) and set \(k= \mathbb{F}_q (T)\). Let \(K_n\) be the \(T^n\)th cyclotomic function field. Let \(\Gamma_n\) be the subgroup of \(\text{Gal} (K_{p^n-1}/k)\) generated by the image of \(1+T\) modulo \(T^{p^n-1}\). Let \(k_n\) be the subfield of \(K_{p^n-1}\) such that \(\text{Gal} (k_n/k) \simeq \Gamma_n \simeq \mathbb{Z}/p^n \mathbb{Z}\). Then \(k_\infty =\cup_{n\geq 0} k_n\) is a \(\mathbb{Z}_p\)-extension of \(k\) and \(T\) is totally ramified in \(k_\infty/k\). For this \(\mathbb{Z}_p\)-extension, the authors prove that \(\lim_ng_n/p^{2n} =1/2 (p+1)\).