On the curve \(Y^n= X^{\ell}(X^m + 1)\) over finite fields (Q2424557)

In this nice paper, the authors consider the algebraic curve \(y^n=x^{\ell}(x^m+1)\) over the finite field with \(q^2\) elements. Here \(q\) is an arbitrary prime power and the positive integers \(n\), \(\ell\) and \(m\) satisfy the natural conditions so that we have an absolutely irreducible curve. One of the main wide open and important problems in the literature is the classifications of all maximal curves over the finite field with \(q^2\) elements. The main result in this paper is Theorem 1.4, which is a contribution to this open problem. In the main result the authors presents numerical conditions on \(n\), \(\ell\) and \(m\) so that the curve is maximal. This result is a natural continuation of some earlier results in the literature, in particular the case \(\ell \ge 2\) is important. The authors also obtain further results like computation of the Weiserstrass semigroup at certain points. They also clearly explain the connections of the results of this paper to the problems in the literature.