Average norms of \(j\)-invariants of Drinfeld modules (Q5928004)

Let \(O(M)= \mathbb{F}_q[x,y]\), where \(\mathbb{F}_q\) is a finite field of odd characteristic, where \(M\in K[x]\) is a square-free monic polynomial of odd degree \(m\geq 3\), with constant term not in \((\mathbb{F}_q^*)^2\), and where \(y\) satisfies the relation \(y^2= M(x)\). Let \(\overline{k}\) be an algebraic closure of \(k= \mathbb{F}_q(x,y)\), \(F\) be the Frobenius morphism \((z\mapsto z^q)\) of \(\overline{k}\) and \(\overline{k} \{F\}\) be the ring of Ore polynomials. The authors study the average norm of the \(j\)-invariant of sgn-normalized Drinfeld \(O(M)\)-modules \(\varphi: O(M)\to \overline{k}\{F\}\) of rank one. Such a module satisfies \(\varphi_x= x+aF+F^2\in \overline{k}\{F\}\) and \(j(\varphi)= a^{q+1}\) is indeed the \(j\)-invariant of \(\varphi\), it lies in the Hilbert class field \(H_M\) of \(k\). Set \(J(M)= \text{Norm}_{H_M/ \mathbb{F}_q(x)} (j(\varphi))\), it is independent of \(\varphi\). The authors compute the degree (in \(x\)) of \(J(M)\), when \(M\) varies over all polynomials as before. The method of this study depends mainly on results about the average values of \(L\)-series [see \textit{J. Hoffstein} and \textit{M. Rosen}, J. Reine Angew. Math. 426, 117-150 (1992; Zbl 0754.11036)].