Artin-Schreier curves, exponential sums, and the Carlitz-Uchiyama bound for geometric codes (Q1176398)

The author points out that there is a relation between \(L\)-functions of certain function fields and exponential sums, and hence estimates on exponential sums can be obtained from properties of the corresponding \(L\)-functions. More specific the author studies function fields of Artin-Schreier type. The genus of such extensions is computed. Using properties of the \(L\)- functions in this specific case the author derives results on certain exponential sums which can be used in the computation of the weight distribution of some cyclic codes. In the case of geometric BCH-codes (obtained via Goppa's construction) this leads to an analog of the Carlitz-Uchiyama bound.