On class number relations in characteristic two (Q2481305)

The authors derives some class number relations for quadratic extensions of algebraic function fields of characteristic 2 using continued fraction expansions. This generalizes work of \textit{F. E. P. Hirzebruch} [Enseign. Math., II. Sér. 19, 183--281 (1973; Zbl 0285.14007)] for quadratic number fields and \textit{D. R. Hayes} [Number theory, Proc. Conf., Montreal/Can. 1985, CMS Conf. Proc. 7, 203--236 (1987; Zbl 0664.12011)] and \textit{C. D. González} [J. Number Theory 40, No. 1, 38--59 (1992; Zbl 0747.11054)] for quadratic extensions of function fields of odd characteristic. Let \(q\) be a power of 2, \(\mathbb F_q\) denote the finite field of \(q\) elements and \(k=\mathbb F_q(T)\). Let \(f(x)=x^2+x\) and \(D_1, D_2\) be relatively prime polynomials in \(\mathbb F_q[T]\). Factor \(D_2= \prod_{i=1}^s P_i^{e_i}\) where each \(P_i\in\mathbb F_q[T]\) is irreducible and \(\frac{D_1}{D_2}\) is normalized so that each \(e_i\) is odd. Let \(G= \prod_{i=1}^s P_i^{\frac{e_i+1}{2}}\) and \(K= k(\alpha)\) where \(\alpha\) is a root \(f(x)= \frac{D_1}{D_2}\). Furthermore, let \(\xi\in\mathbb F_q\) such that \(f(x)=\xi\) has no root in \(\mathbb F_q\), \(\alpha'\) be a root of \(f(x)= \xi+\frac{D_1}{D_2}\) and \(K'= k(\alpha')\). Also, let \(\varphi(T)= \frac1T\) be an \(\mathbb F_q\)-automorphism of \(k\), \(\widetilde{\alpha}\) be a root of \(f(x)= \frac{\varphi(D_1)}{\varphi(D_2)}\) and \(\widetilde{K}= k(\widetilde{\alpha})\). Assume the class number \(h_K\) of \(K\) is 1. Let the continued fraction expansion of \(G\alpha= [N_0, \overline{N_1,N_2,\dots, N_v\dots,N_r}]\) where \(v\) is the quasiperiod (when \(q=2\) the quasiperiod is the period) and let \(t= \#\{1\leq i\leq v: \deg(N_i)\) is odd\}. Then \[ h_{K'}= \frac{(-1)^{\deg G}}{q-1} \biggl( \frac{4q}{q+1} \sum_{i=1}^v ((-q)^{\deg N}-1)+ 2(q+1)t\biggr) \quad \text{and}\quad h_{\widetilde{K}}= \sum_{i=1}^v \deg N_i. \]