Real and imaginary quadratic representations of hyperelliptic function fields (Q4240591)

Let \(k\) be a field of characteristic different from \(2\). A quadratic extension \(K\) of the rational function field \(k(x)\) is called a hyperelliptic function field if the genus \(g\) of \(K\) is at least \(2\). Then \(K\) can be generated over \(k(x)\) by the square root of a polynomial of degree \(2g+1\) or \(2g+2\). The first case can only be achieved if at least one of the ramified prime divisors is of degree \(1\). In this case \(K\) is called an imaginary quadratic function field. The second case occurs if a prime divisor of \(k(x)\) splits in \(K\). Then \(K\) is called a real quadratic function field. In the paper under review, the authors describe the arithmetic of the divisor class group of degree \(0\) in terms of reduced ideals in the corresponding orders \(k[x][\sqrt{F(x)}]\) where \(K = k(x)(\sqrt{F(x)})\). First the imaginary case is considered. This case is well known, but it is included because it is compared to the real case. If \(K\) is a real quadratic function field, it is proved that every divisor class of degree \(0\) has a representation in terms of an integral divisor \(A\) of degree \(\leq g\), non-divisible by the primes of \(K\) dividing the infinite prime of \(k(x)\), and by an integer \(n\) such that \(0\leq n \leq g - \deg A\). From this fact, the main result of the paper is deduced: There is a canonical bijection between the class group \(Cl_0(K)\) and the set of pairs \(\{({\mathcal A}, n)\}\), where \({\mathcal A}\) is the reduced ideal in \(k[x](\sqrt{F(x)})\) corresponding to \(A\) and \(n\) as before, which induces a group law. It is also shown that the group law can be computed in practice. In the last section, a comparison of the imaginary quadratic representation versus the real quadratic representation is given. The complexity of computing the product of two elements of the divisor class group is \(20 g ^3 + O(g^2)\) operations in \(k\) given an imaginary quadratic extension and at most \(32 g^3 + O(g^2)\) given a real quadratic representation. The analysis is not optimal and should not induce a preference of the imaginary over the real representation. The arithmetic in the divisor class group of an hyperelliptic function field can be performed using an imaginary quadratic representation if there is a ramified prime of degree one or a real quadratic representation otherwise. In the latter case, the new method described in this paper is definitely preferable to the imaginary quadratic representation over a suitable constant field extension.