Some remarks on the theory of cyclotomic function fields (Q5948862)

Let \(k={\mathbb F}_q(T)\) be a rational function field of characteristic \(p\). If \(M\in{\mathbb F}_q[T]\) and \(\Lambda_M\) denotes the \(M\)-torsion points of the Carlitz module, then \(k(\Lambda_M)\) is called the \(M\)-th cyclotomic extension of \(k\). If \(P\in{\mathbb F}_q[T]\) is irreducible, the authors show that \(\lim\limits_{\longleftarrow}\text{Gal}(k(\Lambda_{P^n})/k)\) has infinite \({\mathbb Z}_p\)-rank. This boils down to determining the group structure of \(({\mathbb F}_q[T]/(P^n))^*\), which is in general not cyclic. Secondly, the authors prove \(\lim\limits_{\deg(M)\to\infty}\frac{[k(\Lambda_M):k]}{g_M}=0\), where \(g_M\) denotes the genus of \(k(\Lambda_M)\). Thus an analogue of the Brauer-Siegel theorem due to \textit{M. Madan} and \textit{D. Madden} [Commun. Algebra 8, 1687-1697 (1980; Zbl 0435.12006)] can be applied which then says that \(\lim\limits_{g_M\to\infty}\frac{\ln h_M}{g_M\ln q}=1\), where \(h_M\) is the divisor class number of \(k(\Lambda_M)\). Finally, an analogue of a conjecture of B. H. Gross on the \(p\)-primary part \(C_S(p)\) of the \(S\)-class group of \({\mathbb Z}_p\)-extensions is discussed, where \(S\) is the set of ramified places. Using a criterion by \textit{M. Madan} and \textit{G. D. Villa-Salvador} [ Manuscr. Math. 61, 327-345 (1988; Zbl 0648.12012)], two geometric \({\mathbb Z}_p\)-extensions of \(k\) are constructed, one where the Galois invariant part of \(C_S(p)\) is finite and one where it is infinite. We point out that the statement in the middle of page 501 is not correct. It is easy to construct geometric cyclic extensions of \(k\) of degree \(p\) in which the infinite place is inert. These cannot be contained in any \(k(\Lambda_M)\) since in cyclotomic extensions the infinite place has inertia degree~1. Thus a small additional effort is needed to show that the two examples are indeed contained in a cyclotomic tower.