Exceptional scatteredness in prime degree (Q2204860)

Let \(n,m\) be positive integers, \(t\) a non-negative integer, \(q\) a prime power, and \(\ell\) a \(q\)-linearized polynomial in \(\mathbf{F}_{q^n}[x]\) of linearized degree \(r\). Then \(\ell\) is said to be \((q,n,m,t)\)-scattered if, for any \(s\in\mathbf{F}_{q^{nm}}\), the polynomial \(\ell - s x^{q^t}\) has at most \(q\) roots in \(\mathbf{F}_{q^{nm}}\). If the polynomial is scattered for infinitely many values of \(m\) for a fixed \(q,n\) and \(t\), then \(\ell\) is said to be exceptional \(t\)-scattered. Using a Galois theoretical characterization of \(t\)-scattered polynomials with the classification of transitive subgroups of the general linear group over the field \(\mathbf{F}_q,\) the authors prove the following. Let \(q\) be an odd prime power, \(t \geq 1\) and \(\ell\) an exceptional \(t\)-normalized \(t\)-scattered polynomial of linearized degree \(r\), with \(d=\max \{r,t\}\). If \(d\) is an odd prime, then \(\ell =x.\)