Prolongations of \(t\)-motives and algebraic independence of periods (Q1656224)

Summary: In this article we show that the coordinates of a period lattice generator of the \(n\)-th tensor power of the Carlitz module are algebraically independent, if \(n\) is prime to the characteristic. The main part of the paper, however, is devoted to a general construction for \(t\)-motives which we call \textit{prolongation}, and which gives the necessary background for our proof of the algebraic independence. Another incredient is a theorem which shows hypertranscendence for the Anderson-Thakur function \(\omega(t)\), i.e. that \(\omega(t)\) and all its hyperderivatives with respect to \(t\) are algebraically independent.