On the \(p\)-divisibility of class numbers of cyclotomic function fields (Q2332969)

Let \(k=\mathbb{F}_q(T)\) be the rational function field over the finite field \(\mathbb{F}_q\). For a monic \(m\in A:=\mathbb{F}_q[T]\), the \(m\)-th cyclotomic function field \(K_m\) is an abelian extension of \(k\) with Galois group \((A/(m))^*\) over \(k\) and ramification properties similar to those of cyclotomic extensions of \(\mathbb{Q}\). The aim of the present paper is to determine under which circumstances the class number \(h_m\) of \(K_m\) is divisible by the characteristic \(p\) of \(\mathbb{F}_q\), when \(m\) has degree \(2\). (The case of degree \(m=1\) is trivial, since then \(K_m\) is rational.) After collecting earlier results in special cases (\(q=p\), or \(p\) small, or \(m\) a square,\dots), the author obtains rather complete results for \(m\) arbitrary quadratic, see his Theorems 4.4, 4.6, and 4.8. It turns out that in most cases, \(p\mid h_m\). The crucial ingredient is the Dirichlet-like class number formula for \(K_m\) (see Proposition 3.1) and the evaluation of some related character sums.