Polynomial values and generators with missing digits in finite fields (Q2339948)

Let \(q=p^r\) and \(\{a_1,\ldots,a_r\}\) be a fixed basis of \(\mathbb{F}_q\) over \(\mathbb{F}_p\). Each \(x\in \mathbb{F}_q\) admits a unique representation as \(x=\sum_{j=1}^r c_j a_j\) with \(c_j \in \mathbb{F}_p\) (called ``the digits''). The aim of the present paper is to study the set of quadratic residues, and that of polynomial values \(f(x)\in \mathbb{F}_q[x]\) whose ``digits'' lie in some fixed, predefined set \(\mathcal{D}\), thus with certain ``missing digits''. The estimates are studied in relation to the size of \(\mathcal{D}\). The first result says that if \(|\mathcal{D}|\) is close to \(p\) then, as one might expect, half of the restricted elements of \(\mathbb{F}_q\) are quadratic residues. A further estimate is given when \(\mathcal{D}\) is a set of consecutive integers. The result for \(f(x)\) (a polynomial of degree at least 2) uses the Weil bound and applies when \(|\mathcal{D}|\) is large. Finally, the analogous problem is studied for \(f(g)\), where \(g\) runs through the generators of \(\mathbb{F}_q\). The main techniques used in the paper are exponential sum estimates and character sums. The paper concludes with an extensive list of references.