The Riemann Hypothesis for the Goss zeta function for \(\mathbb{F}_q[T]\) (Q1271165)

Let \(\mathbb F_q\) be a finite field of characteristic \(p\). The following objects can be considered as function field analogs of \(\mathbb Z\), \(\mathbb Q\), \(\mathbb R\), \(\mathbb C\), respectively: the polynomial ring \(A=\mathbb F_q[T]\), its quotient field \(K=\mathbb F_q(T)\), the completion \(K_\infty=\mathbb F_q((T^{-1}))\) of \(K\) at the infinite place, the completion \(\Omega\) of an algebraic closure of \(K_\infty\). \textit{D. Goss} introduced \(\Omega\)-valued zeta functions \(\zeta(s)\) for finite extensions of \(K\) where \(s=(x,y)\in\Omega^*\times\mathbb Z_p\). See Chapter 8 of his book [Basic structures of function field arithmetic, Ergebnisse der Mathematik und ihrer Grenzgebiete, 3. Folge 35, Springer, Berlin (1996; Zbl 0874.11004)] for the philosophy, precise definitions, analogies with classical \(\zeta\)-functions, open questions, etc. The simplest example is the zeta function of \(A\), \[ \zeta_A(x,y):= \sum_{m\geq 0}x^{-m} (\sum_{{\mathfrak n}\in A^+,\;deg({\mathfrak n})=m} (T^{-m}{\mathfrak n})^{-y}) \] where \(A^+\) denotes the set of monic polynomials in \(A\). The analog of the Riemann Hypothesis says that for fixed \(y\) the zeros of \(\zeta_A(x,-y)\) are simple and lie in \(K_\infty\). For \(q=p\) this was first proved by D. Wan, but the present paper generalizes the simpler proof by \textit{J. Diaz-Vargas} [J. Number Theory 59, 313-318 (1996; Zbl 0862.11040)]. It is certainly a good idea to read this short paper first. The largest part (26 pages) of the paper consists of the proof of a combinatorial assertion concerning certain power sums (stated by L. Carlitz in 1948 without a complete proof). This allows to find the Newton polygon of the above power series in \(x^{-1}\), from which the statements about the zeros can be easily read off.