Cyclotomy of Weil sums of binomials (Q5919733)

Let \(K\) be the finite field of characteristic \(p\) and order \(q\) and let \(\psi_K\) be the canonical additive character. Assume \((d,q-1)=1\). The Weil sum for \(a\in K\) is \[ W_{K,d}(a)=\sum_{x\in K} \psi_K(x^d+ax). \] \textit{T. Helleseth} [Discrete Math. 16, 209--232 (1976; Zbl 0348.94017)] showed that if \(d\) is non-degenerate (meaning \(d\) is not a \(p\)-power modulo \(q-1\)) then \(W_{K,d}\) takes on at least three values. The authors are concerned here with the case that the Weil sum is exactly 3-valued. It is known that a 3-valued Weil sum has rational integer values that include 0. In all of the known examples of 3-valued \(W_{K,d}\), the values are \textit{symmetric}, namely, \(0, \pm A\). The first main result implies that if \([K : \mathbb F_p]\) is a 2-power then a 3-valued Weil sum is not symmetric. Re-phrased, the truth of the conjecture that 3-valued Weil sums are symmetric implies the truth of a conjecture of Helleseth that there are no 3-valued \(W_{K, d}\) when \([K : \mathbb F_p]\) is a 2-power (which is in fact known for \(p=2\) or \(3\)). It is known that if \(W_{K, d}\) is 3-valued and symmetric then \(A\geq \sqrt{pq}\) (for odd degree extensions) or \(A\geq p\sqrt{q}\) (for even degree extensions). The Weil sum is called \textit{preferred} if we have equality. Their second main result is that if \(4\) divides \([K : \mathbb F_p]\) then a symmetric 3-valued Weil sum is not preferred. Their last main result is that if \([K : \mathbb F_p]\) is even and \(d\) is a \(p\)-power modulo \(\sqrt{q}-1\) then \(W_{K,d}\) is not 3-valued. The proofs depend on the interaction between the Galois group of \(K/\mathbb F_p\) and the Galois group of the cyclotomic extension \(\mathbb Q(\zeta_p)/\mathbb Q\), where \(\zeta_p=\text{exp}(2\pi i/p)\).