The isogeny conjecture for \(t\)-motives associated to direct sums of Drinfeld modules (Q2488824)

Let \(F\) be a global function field over the finite field \(\mathbb{F}_q\), and \(A\) the ring of elements of \(F\) which are regular away from a chosen place of \(F\). Let \(K\) be another global function field and \(\iota: A \rightarrow K\) a homomorphism with kernel \(\mathfrak{p}\). The notion of \(A\)-motives over \(K\) of characteristic \(\mathfrak{p}\) was introduced by \textit{G.~Anderson} [Duke Math. J. 53, 457--502 (1986; Zbl 0679.14001)] in the case where \(A=\mathbb{F}_q[t]\), and can be extended to general \(A\). They are analogs of abelian varieties, and many of the classical results about abelian varieties can be reformulated for \(A\)-motives. One such result is the Isogeny Conjecture, proved for abelian varieties by \textit{G.~Faltings} [Invent. Math. 73, 349--366 (1983); Erratum ibid. 75, 381 (1984; Zbl 0588.14026)]. The article under review concerns the following \(A\)-motive analog. \textbf{Isogeny Conjecture.} For any \(A\)-motive \(M\) over \(K\) of characteristic \(\mathfrak{p}\), which is semisimple up to isogeny, there are only finitely many isomorphism classes of \(A\)-motives \(M'\) over \(K\), for which there exists a separable isogeny \(M'\rightarrow M\) of degree not divisible by \(\mathfrak{p}\). There exist counter-examples to this conjecture if one were to leave out the semisimplicity condition, or reverse the direction of the isogeny. For the \(A\)-motive associated to a Drinfeld module, the Isogeny Conjecture was proved by \textit{Y.~Taguchi} [Duke Math. J. 62, No.3, 593--599 (1991; Zbl 0739.14029)] and [J. Number Theory 74, No.2, 337--348 (1999; Zbl 0923.11089)]. The article under review settles the Isogeny Conjecture in the case where \(M\) is the \(A\)-motive associated to a direct sum of Drinfeld modules, in the case where the characteristic \(\mathfrak{p}\neq 0\). The main ingredients are the results of Taguchi, together with results in an earlier paper of the authors [J. Number Theory 116, No. 2, 373--395 (2006; Zbl 1173.11038)]. More recently, the case where \(M\) is the \(A\)-motive associated to a direct sum of Drinfeld modules in characteristic \(\mathfrak{p}=0\) was settled as a consequence of the important results of the first author together with \textit{E.~Rütsche} [J. Number Theory 129, No. 4, 882--907 (2009; Zbl 1246.11122)], in which they proved that the image of the adèlic Galois representation associated to a Drinfeld module of characteristic \(\mathfrak{p}= 0\) is as large as possible. Most recently, the first author has announced a proof of the full Isogeny Conjecture [manuscript (2010)].