Diophantine equations over global function fields. IV: S-unit equations in several variables with an application to norm form equations (Q2268785)

One important method in the resolution of Diophantine equations is the reduction of these equations to unit equations of the type \[ u_1+\cdots +u_n =1, \] where \(u_i\) are elements in a unit group of a number field or a function field. In general, the reduction procedure allows to solve unit equations in two variables. That is the case of Thue equations, index equations, resultant type equations for examples. It is hard to use the presently known tools to solve unit equations in three or more variables. In the paper under review, the authors consider function fields over finite fields and develop for the first time an effective algorithm that can help to completely solve unit equations in three variables. Finally, they illustrate their method by giving three examples in which they reduce the equations to unit equations in three variables before completely solving them using the new algorithm. \textbf{Example 1:} They take \(k=\mathbb{F}_5\), \(K=k(t)(\xi)\), and \(L=K(\alpha)\), where \(\alpha\) is a root of \( z^4-t=0\). They find the only solution \((x, y, z) = (0, c, 0)\) of the norm form equation \[ N_{L/K}(x+\alpha y +\alpha^2 z)=c\cdot t \quad (x, y, z \in k[t]) \] with an arbitrary \(c\in k^*\). \textbf{Example 2:} They consider \(k=\mathbb{F}_3\), \(K=k(t)(\xi)\), and \(L=K(\alpha)\), where \(\alpha\) is a root of \( z^4+2tz^3+tz+1=0\). They find all solutions of the norm form equation \[ N_{L/K}(x+\alpha y +\alpha^2 z)=c \quad (x, y, z \in k[t]) \] with an arbitrary \(c\in k^*\). \textbf{Example 3:} With \(k=\mathbb{F}_5\), \(K=k(t)(\xi)\), and \(L=K(\alpha)\), where \(\alpha\) is a root of \( z^4+(t+3)z^2+1=0\), they prove that \( (x, y, z)= (1, 4, 0)\), \((0, 4, 1)\), \((1, 1, 0)\), \((0, 1, 1)\) are the only solutions of the norm form equation \[ N_{L/K}(x+\alpha y +\alpha^2 z)=c\cdot t,\quad (x, y, z \in k[t]) \] with an arbitrary \(c\in k^*\). Parts II and V, see Funct. Approximatio, Comment. Math. 39, Part 1, 97--102 (2008; Zbl 1233.11036) and Int. J. Pure Appl. Math. 53, No. 3, 307--317 (2009; Zbl 1231.11037).