Quantum \(j\)-invariant in positive characteristic. I: Definition and convergence (Q2629079)

In [Proc. Lond. Math. Soc. (3) 109, No. 4, 1014--1049 (2014; Zbl 1360.11075)] \textit{C. Castaño-Bernard} and the second named author introduced a notion of modular invariant for quantum tori. For any \(\Theta \in {\mathbb R}\) and \(\varepsilon >0\), \(j^{\text{qt}}(\Theta)\) is defined as \(\lim_{\varepsilon \to 0}\Lambda_{\varepsilon}(\Theta)\) where \(\Lambda_{\varepsilon} (\Theta)\) is the \(\varepsilon\)-Diophantine approximation \(\Lambda_{\varepsilon} (\Theta)=\{n\in{\mathbb Z}\mid |n\Theta-m|<\varepsilon \text{\;for some\;} m\in{\mathbb Z}\}\). Because of the chaotic nature of the sets \(\Lambda_{ \varepsilon}(\Theta)\), no explicit expressions for \(j^{\text{qt}}(\Theta)\) have been obtained. The paper under review is the first of a series of two, in which the analogue of \(j^{\text{qt}}\) for function fields over finite fields is considered. In this first paper, the authors introduce the quantum \(j\)-invariant in positive characteristic as a multi-valued, modular-invariant function of a local function field. They give basic definitions and consider questions of convergence. Let \(k= {\mathbb F}_q(T)\) and let \(k_{\infty}\) be the completion of \(k\) with respect to \(1/T\). In this case, since the absolute value is non Archimedean, the analysis simplifies considerably. For \(f\) in this setting, the set \(\Lambda_{\varepsilon}(f)\) has the structure of an \({\mathbb F}_q\)-vector space and it is possible to describe a basis for it using the sequence of denominators of best approximations of \(f\). The main result, Theorem 3, shows that if \(f\in k_{\infty}\setminus k\), then \(|j_{\varepsilon}(f)|=q^{2q-1}\) for all \(\varepsilon < 1\). It is also shown, Theorem 2, that if \(f\in k\), then for \(\varepsilon\) sufficiently small, \(j_{\varepsilon}(f)=\infty\). In particular \(j^{\text{qt}}(f)=\infty\). With these formulas, the authors prove the multi-valued property of \(j^{\text{qt}}\) and they show that \(f\) is rational if and only if \(j_{\varepsilon}(f)=\infty\). In the second paper of the series [Arch. Math. 107, No. 2, 159--166 (2016; Zbl 06619003)], the authors study the set of values \(j^{\text{qt}}(f)\) for \(f\) quadratic.