Bounds for \(p\)-adic exponential sums and log-canonical thresholds (Q2800421)

The authors consider, for any integer \(m>1\) and any prime number \(p\), the exponential sum NEWLINE\[NEWLINE S(F,p,m)=p^{-mn}\sum\limits_{x\in (\mathbb Z/p^m\mathbb Z)^n}\exp \left( 2\pi i\frac{F(x)}{p^m}\right), NEWLINE\]NEWLINE where \(F\) is a nonconstant polynomial of \(n\) variables. For any \(y\in \mathbb Z^n\), they consider also a ``local version'' of the above sum, NEWLINE\[NEWLINE S_y(F,p,m)=p^{-mn}\sum\limits_{x\in y+(p\mathbb Z/p^m\mathbb Z)^n}\exp \left( 2\pi i\frac{F(x)}{p^m}\right), NEWLINE\]NEWLINE where \(y+(p\mathbb Z/p^m\mathbb Z)^n=\{ x\in (\mathbb Z/p^m\mathbb Z)^n:\;x_i\equiv y_i \pmod p \text{ for each }i\}\).NEWLINENEWLINEThe authors conjecture certain estimates for the above sums and prove them for special values of \(m\). They discuss in detail the relations between their results and methods and those for earlier conjectures by \textit{J. I. Igusa} [Lectures on forms of higher degree. Notes by S. Raghavan. Heidelberg, New York: Springer-Verlag (1978; Zbl 0417.10015)] and \textit{J. Denef} and \textit{S. Sperber} [in: A tribute to Maurice Boffa. Brussels: Belgian Mathematical Society. 55-- 63 (2002; Zbl 1046.11057)].