Permutation properties of Dickson and Chebyshev polynomials with connections to number theory (Q2238908)

The main topic are subsets of the multiplicative group of a finite field which are stabilised by Dickson polynomials. The author establishes results for finite fields of odd characteristic which are inspired by the results in [\textit{J. F. Dillon} and \textit{H. Dobbertin}, Finite Fields Appl. 10, No. 3, 342--389 (2004; Zbl 1043.05024)] for even characteristic. Let \(\mathbb{F}_q^{\times}\) be the multiplicative group of a finite field with \(q\) odd. Towards the first main result, the author defines four subsets in terms of the Legendre symbol and a parameter which assumes the field elements 1 or 2. These subsets together represent \(\mathbb{F}_q^{\times}\) as a disjoint union. The author shows that the Dickson polynomials \(D_k(x)\) permute each of the four subsets if \(\gcd(k, q^2-1) = 1\). Under less restrictive assumptions weaker statements are proved. Furthermore, the factorization \(D_k(x) = \prod (x-b)\) is established, where \(b\) runs over two of the four subsets already defined. Evaluating this formula at \(x=2\) and \(x=-2\), the author shows that \[\prod \{{a\in \mathbb{F}_q^{\times}: a\mbox{ and }4-a\mbox{ are nonsquares}}\} = 2,\] \[\prod \{{a\in \mathbb{F}_q^{\times}: -a\mbox{ and }4+a\mbox{ are nonsquares}}\} = 2\left(\frac{2}{q}\right),\] where the brackets in the last term denote the Legendre Symbol. Several other identities along these lines are proved.