On field extensions given by periods of Drinfeld modules (Q2316816)

Let \(\mathbb{F}_q(\theta)\) be a global rational function field and let \(A= \mathbb{F}_q[\theta]\) be the ring of polynomials. Let \(\phi: A\longrightarrow K\{\tau\}\), \(\phi(\theta)=\phi_{\theta}=\theta+a_1 \tau+\cdots+a_r\tau^r\) be a Drinfeld module of rank \(r\), \(a_1,\dots,a_r\in K\), \(a_r\neq 0\). Let \(\bar{K}_{\infty}\) be an algebraic closure of \(K_{\infty}:=\mathbb{F}_q\big( \big(\frac{1}{\theta}\big)\big)\), the completion of \(K\) at the infinite place. The exponential function attached to \(\phi\) is \(\exp_{\phi}: \bar{K}_{\infty} \longrightarrow \bar{K}_{\infty}\), \(x\mapsto \sum_{i=0}^{\infty}\alpha_ix^{q^i}\), it is the unique \(\mathbb{F}_q\)-linear map such that \(\exp_{\phi}(a\cdot x)= \phi_a(\exp_{\phi}(x))\) for all \(a\in A\), \(x\in \bar{K}_{\infty}\) and \(\frac{\partial}{\partial x}\exp_{\phi}={\mathrm {id}}_{\bar{K}_{\infty}}\), that is, \(\alpha_0=1\). The map \(\exp_{\phi}\) is surjective and its kernel \(\Lambda_{\phi}\) is a discrete \(A\)-submodule of \(\bar{K}_{\infty}\) of rank \(r\) which is called \textit{the period lattice of \(\phi\)}. Let \(\Lambda_{\phi}\) be generated by \(z_1,\dots,z_r\in\bar{K}_{\infty}\). The paper under review deals with the following questions: \begin{itemize} \item[(1)] Is there an upper bound on the degree \([K_{\infty}(z_1,\dots,z_r):K_{\infty}]\) independent of \(\phi\)? \item[(2)] Is there a global bound for a fixed rank \(r\)? \end{itemize} Similar questions are raised for the extension of constants of these extensions. In Example 2.2, the author constructs Drinfeld modules of increasing rank, where even the constant field extensions are of arbitrarily large degree. Thus, the answer to question (1) is negative. For \(r=1\), \([ K_{\infty}(z):K_{\infty}]\) is bounded by \(q-1\). The main result of the paper is Theorem 3, which gives a negative answer to question (2). More precisely, let \(\phi\) be a Drinfeld module of rank \(2\), \(\phi_{\theta}= \theta+a_1\tau+a_2\tau^2\), \(a_1, a_2\in K\), \(a_2\neq 0\). Then \begin{itemize} \item[(a)] if \(v(a_1)\geq \frac{v(a_2)-q}{q+1}\), \(K_{\infty}(\Lambda_{\phi})= K_{\infty}(\phi[\theta])\) and \([K_{\infty}(\Lambda_{\phi}):K_{\infty}]\) divides \((q^2-1)(q^2-q)\), \item[(b)] if \(v(a_1)<\frac{v(a_2)-q}{q+1}\) and if \(n=\max\big\{j\in\mathbb{N}\cup \{0\}\mid v(a_1)<\frac{v(a_2)-q^{j+1}}{q+1}\big\}\) then \([K_{\infty}(\Lambda_{\phi}) :K_{\infty}]\) divides \((q-1)^2q^{n+1}\). If furthermore \(v(a_1)-v(a_2)\) is prime to \(q\), then \(q^{n+1}\) divides \([K_{\infty}(\Lambda_{\phi}):K_{\infty}]\). \end{itemize} The main tool in the proof of the main result is the use of the Newton polygon. As the authors remarks, in the proof it is never used that the Drinfeld module is defined over \(K\) so the theorem holds for any field contained in \(K_{\infty}\). The proof generalizes to any rank \(r\geq 2\).