Algebraic independence of values of Goss \(L\)-functions at \(s=1\) (Q1932392)

A complete list of rings of algebraic functions over a finite field with a degree one rational place that have class number one is given in [\textit{J. R. C. Leitzel} et al., J. Number Theory 7, 11--27 (1975; Zbl 0318.12009)]. Let \({\mathbb{F}}_q\) be a finite field with \(q\) elements, \(A_0={\mathbb{F}}_q[\theta]\) and \(A_1,A_2,A_3,A_4\) be the rings \({\mathbb{F}}_q[\theta,\eta]/(f_j)\) where, for \(j=1\), we have \(q=3\), \(f_1=\eta^2 - \theta^3 +\theta+1\in{\mathbb{F}}_3[\theta,\eta]\), for \(j=2\), we have \(q=4\), \(f_2 =\eta^2 +\eta+\theta^3 +\alpha\in{\mathbb{F}}_4[\theta,\eta], \alpha\in{\mathbb{F}}_4, \alpha^2 +\alpha+1=0\), for \(j=3\), we have \(q=2\), \(f_3 =\eta^2 +\eta+\theta^3 +\theta+1\in{\mathbb{F}}_2[\theta,\eta]\), for \(j=4\), we have \(q=2\), \(f_4 =\eta^2 +\eta+\theta^5 +\theta^3 +1\in{\mathbb{F}}_2[\theta,\eta]\). Let \(A\) be one of \(A_0,\dots,A_4\) and \(K\) the fraction field of \(A\). Set \(u=u_j\), where \(u_0=1/\theta\), \(u_j=\theta/\eta\) for \(j=1,2,3\) and \(u_4=\theta^2/\eta\). Let \(A_+\) be the set of monic elements in \(A\) and \({\mathcal P}\in A_+\) be an irreducible polynomial with residue field \(F_{\mathcal P}=A/{\mathcal P}\). Denote by \(\Xi_{\mathcal P}\) the group of all Dirichlet characters modulo \({\mathcal P}\) on \(A\). For \(\chi\in\Xi_{\mathcal P}\) and \(s\in{\mathbb{N}}\), consider the Goss \(L\)-function \[ L(s,\chi)=\sum_{a\in A_+} \frac{\chi(a)}{a^s} \in {\mathbb{F}}_{\mathcal P} ((u)). \] The main result of the paper under review is that the transcendence degree over \(K\) of the field generated by \(L(1,\chi)\), \(\chi\in\Xi_{\mathcal P}\), is \[ \frac{(q^d-1)(q-2)}{q-1}+1. \] Further, the authors give explicit formulae for the transcendental numbers \(L(1,\chi)\). The transcendence of this number was known in the special case of the trivial character \(\chi\) [\textit{D. S. Thakur}, Int. Math. Res. Not. 1992, No. 9, 185--197 (1992; Zbl 0756.11015)], \textit{J. Yu} [Invent. Math. 83, 507--517 (1986; Zbl 0586.12010)], and only in a few other cases \textit{G. Damamme} [J. Théor. Nombres Bordx. 11, No. 2, 369--385 (1999; Zbl 0994.11027)].