On uniform distribution of sequences in \(\mathrm{GF}{q,x}\) and \(\mathrm{GF}[q,x]\) (Q2543211)

Let \(\Phi = \mathrm{GF}[q,x]\) be the ring of polynomials in \(x\) over a finite field \(\mathrm{GF}(q)\) and \(\Phi' = \mathrm{GF}\{q,x\}\) be the field of formal expressions \(\alpha = \sum_{i=-\infty}^n c_ix^i\) with \(_i\in\mathrm{GF}(q)\) for all \(i\). For \(\alpha\in\Phi'\), \([\alpha] = \sum_{i=0}^n c_ix^i\in\Phi\) is called the integral part of \(a\). In [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 72, 187--208 (1952; Zbl 0046.04801)] \textit{L. Carlitz} defined the concepts of a sequence \(\{\alpha_k\}\) in \(\Phi'\) being uniformly distributed (mod 1) or semi-uniformly distributed (mod 1). (Carlitz called the latter notion ``weakly'' uniformly distributed.) In [Acta Arith. 12, 55--75 (1966; Zbl 0146.06304)] the author defined the concepts of a sequence \(\{A_k\}\) in \(\Phi\) being uniformly distributed (mod \(M)\) or weakly uniformly distributed (mod \(M)\), where \(M\) is a monic element of degree \(>0\) in \(\Phi\). The concept of \(\{A_k\}\) being semi-uniformly distributed (mod \(M)\) in \(\Phi\) can be defined by analogy with the concept for sequences in \(\Phi'\). In this paper a number of analogs are proved for sequences in \(\Phi\) and related sequences in \(\Phi'\) of results proved by \textit{C. L. van den Eynden} [Dissertation, University of Oregon (1962)] concerning uniform distribution (mod \(m)\) of sequences of integers (as defined by \textit{I. Niven} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 98, 52--61 (1961; Zbl 0096.03102)]) related to sequences of real numbers. An example of one type of result proved is: Theorem 2.1. A sequence \(\Gamma = \{\gamma_k\}\) in \(\Phi'\) is u.d. (mod 1) if and only if for all monic \(M \in \Phi\) with \(\deg M>0\), the sequence \(\Gamma_M = \{[M\gamma_i]\}\) is u.d. (mod \(M)\) in \(\Phi\). A major application of results of this first sort is to the proof of Theorem 3.1. Let \(f(u)\) be any polynomial of degree \(k\), \(1\le k<p\), with coefficients in \(\Phi'\) such that \(f(u) - f(0)\) has at least one irrational (not a quotient of elements of \(\Phi\)) coefficient and let \(\{A_k\}\) be any rising sequence in \(\Phi\) which contains all elements of \(\Phi\). Then the sequence \(\{[f(A_k)]\}\) is u.d. in \(\Phi\), (i.e., u.d. (mod \(M)\) for all monic \(M\) with degree \(M>0)\). The special case of this last result when \(k=1\) had been previously proved by the author in the paper mentioned earlier.