On the numerology of ramification data for power series in characteristic \(p\) (Q1800485)

Let \(k\) be a perfect field of characteristic \(p\), and let \(K = k((t))\) be the formal Laurent power series field in a variable \(t\) over \(k\). Denote by \(v_K\) the normalized valuation of \(K\), and by Aut\(_k(K)\) the group of continuous \(k\)-automorphisms of \(K\), and fix an element \(\sigma \in \mathrm{Aut}_k(K)\) and a uniformizer \(\pi_K\) for \(K\). The lower ramification number of \(\sigma \) is defined to be the integer \(i(\sigma ) = v_K(\sigma (\pi_K) - \pi_K) - 1\); \(i(\sigma )\) is well-defined (it does not depend on the choice of \(\pi_K\)) and satisfies \(i(\sigma ) \ge 0\). We say that \(\sigma \) is a wild automorphism of \(K\) if \(i(\sigma ) \ge 1\). The paper under review deals with the study of (lower and upper) ramification numbers of the \(p^n\)-th powers of wild \(k\)-automorphisms of \(K\). The most important tool used by the author is the field of norms construction of Fontaine and Wintenberger, which allows to interpret \(p\)-adic Lie subgroups of Aut\(_k(K)\) in terms of totally ramified \(p\)-adic Lie extensions of local fields (see [\textit{J.-P. Wintenberger}, Ann. Sci. Éc. Norm. Supér. (4) 16, 59--89 (1983; Zbl 0516.12015); J. Théor. Nombres Bordx 16, No. 2, 429--456 (2004; Zbl 1194.11103)]). The automorphisms of \(K\) are closely connected with power series over the residue field \(k\). The connection arises because of the existence of a continuous \(k\)-isomorphism \(k((t)) \to K\), which carries \(t\) into \(\pi_K\); hence, there is \(\eta_{\sigma } \in k[[t]]\), such that \(\sigma (\pi_K) = \eta_{\sigma }(\pi_K)\). The set of formal Taylor power series \(\mathcal{A}(k) = \{\sum_{i=0}^{\infty } a_it^i\colon a_i \in k, a_0 \neq 0\}\) forms a group with the operation \(\phi (t).\psi (t) = \phi (\psi (t))\), and the map \(\theta \) of Aut\(_k(K)\) into \(\mathcal{A}(k)\), defined by \(\theta (\sigma ) = \eta_{\sigma ^{-1}}(t)\) is a group isomorphism. Therefore, the results of this paper, which are formulated in terms of elements and subgroups of Aut\(_k(K)\), can be interpreted as statements about \(\mathcal{A}(k)\).