On a problem à la Kummer-Vandiver for function fields (Q1932375)

Let \(p\) be a prime number and let \(F\) be the maximal real subfield of the \(p\)-th cyclotomic field \({\mathbb Q}(\mu_p).\) The Kummer-Vandiver conjecture predicts that \(p\) does not divide the class number of \(F\). A function field analogue of the classical Kummer-Vandiver conjecture was formulated in~[Invent. Math. 188, No. 2, 253--275 (2012; Zbl 1278.11102)] by the second named author. The purpose of this paper under review is to construct a counterexample to the function field version of the Kummer-Vandiver statement. To state the main result, let us recall the setting and statements of this analogue. Let \(A = {\mathbb F}_q[T]\) be the polynomial ring and let \(k = {\mathbb F}_q(T)\) be the rational function field in variable \(T\) over the finite field \({\mathbb F}_q\) of \(q = p^r\) elements. Let \(C\) be the Carlitz module over \(A.\) Let \(P\in A\) be a monic irreducible element and let \(K = k(C[P])\) be the extension field by adjoining \(k\) the \(P\)-torsion points \(C[P]\) of \(C.\) Then \(K/k\) is a Galois extension and there is a canonical isomorphism \(\omega_P : \mathrm{Gal}(K/k) \to \left(A/P\right)^{\times}\) which can be viewed as the mod \(P\) Teichmüller character in the function field setting. Let \(R\) be the integral closure of \(A\) in \(K\) and put \(Y_P = \mathrm{Spec} R.\) Consider the flat cohomology group \(H_P := H^1\left(Y_{P, fl}, C[P]^D\right)\) where \(C[P]^D\) denotes the Cartier dual of \(C[P].\) Then the Galois group \(\mathrm{Gal}(K/k)\) acts on the \(A/P\)-vector space \(H_P\) and it decomposes as \(H_P = \bigoplus_{n=1}^{q^{\deg P -1}} H_P\left(\omega_P^{n}\right).\) As explained in the paper of Taelman [op. cit.], the function field version of the Kummer-Vandiver question is equivalent to asking whether or not \(H_P(\omega_P^{n-1}) = 0\) if \(n\) is not divisible by \(q-1\). Let \(A_{+}\) denote the set of monic elements in \(A\) and let \(i : A_{+} \to {\mathbb Z}/p{\mathbb Z}\) be the function given by \(i\left(T^n + \alpha_1 T + \cdots + \alpha_n\right) = \mathrm{Tr}_{{\mathbb F}_q/{\mathbb F}_p}(\alpha_1) \in {\mathbb Z}/p{\mathbb Z}\). For a positive integer \(n\), we put \(\beta(n) = \sum_{m\geq 0}\sum_{a\in A_m} a^n\) (the Bernoulli-Goss polynomial) and \(\gamma(n) = \sum_{m\geq 0}\sum_{a\in A_m} i(a) a^n\) where \(A_m\) denotes the subset of \(A_+\) of monic elements of degree \(m\). The main results (Theorem~2 and Theorem~3) of this paper can be stated as follows. Let \(P\in A\) be monic irreducible polynomial of degree \(d\) and such that \(i(P) \neq 0. \) Let \(n\) be an integer satisfying the following conditions: (1) if \(n\) is not divisible by \(q-1\) then \(\beta(n)\) is divisible by \(P\) for odd \(p\) or for \(p =2\) the special value \(L(1, K/k, \omega_P^n)\) of the \(L\)-function associated to \(K/k\) and \(\omega_P^n\) is divisible by 4; and (2) \(\gamma(n)\) is divisible by \(P\). Let \(Q(T) = P(T^p - T)\) and let \(N = n(q^{pd}-1)/(q^d -1)\) for odd \(p\) otherwise \(N = n(q^d +1)\) for \(p=2\). Then \(Q\) is irreducible and \(H^1\left(Y_{Q, fl}, C[Q]^D\right)\left( \omega_Q^{-N-1} \right) \neq \{0\}.\) As an application of their main results, the authors provide explicit counterexamples as a negative answer to the function field analogue of the Kummer-Vandiver question. For instance, for \(q=3, P(T)= T^3 - t^2 + 1\) and \(n = 13\) the authors show that \(H^1\left(Y_{Q, fl}, C[Q]^D\right)\left( \omega_Q^{-N-1} \right) \neq \{0\}\) with \(N = 9841.\) Another counterexample for \(q = 4\) is also given. In the last section of the paper, the authors provide a heuristic argument to show that for odd \(q\) and sufficiently large \(X\), one could expect that there are at least \(c X^{1/p}(\log X)^{-1}\) (for some constant \(c>0\)) prime elements of residue cardinality at most \(X\) that are counterexamples to the function field analogue of the Kummer-Vandiver question.