Iterated monodromy group of a PCF quadratic non-polynomial map (Q6593263)

Given a rational map \(f\) of degree \(d\) defined over a number field \(k\), we are interested in the dynamics of \(f\) on the projective line \(\mathbb{P}_{\overline{k}}^1\), where \(\overline{k}\) is the algebraic closure of \(k\).\N\NLet \(t\) be a transcendental element over \(k\) and \(k(t)\) be the field of rational functions. For \(n\geq 1\), denote by \(f^n\) the \(n\)-th iterate of \(f\) and by \(K_n\) the splitting field of \(f^n(x)-t\) over \(k(t)\). The arithmetic iterated monodromy group \(G^{\mathrm{arith}}(f)\) is the inverse limit of the Galois groups \(G_n^{\mathrm{arith}} = \mathrm{Gal}(K_n/k(t))\). The geometric iterated monodromy group \(G^{\mathrm{geom}}(f)\) is defined similarly by replacing \(k (t )\) with \(\overline{k}(t )\). Let \(a\in k\). Looking at the solutions of \(f^n(x)=a\), we can also construct Galois groups \(G_{n,a}( f )\) and then the arboreal Galois group \(G_a(f)\) by taking limit over \(n\). Note that \(G_a( f )\) is the specialization of \(G^{\mathrm{arith}}(f)\) at \(t = a\).\N\NThe present paper studies the relationships among the groups \(G^{\mathrm{arith}}(f)\), \(G^{\mathrm{geom}}(f)\), \(G_a(f)\) for the special postcritically finite non-polynomial map \(f(x)=\frac{1}{(x-1)^2}\) over a number field \(k\). The main theorem of the paper shows that the following three statements are equivalent.\N\begin{itemize}\N\item[(1)] The degree \(|k(\sqrt{a}, \sqrt{a}-1, \zeta_8 : k| = 16\).\N\item[(2)] \(G_a(f)=G^{\mathrm{arith}}(f)\).\N\item[(3)] \(G_{5,a}(f)=G_5^{\mathrm{arith}}(f)\).\N\end{itemize}\N\NOne of the first appearances of Galois groups of iterated polynomials can be found in [\textit{M. Stoll}, Arch. Math. 59, No. 3, 239--244 (1992; Zbl 0758.11045)]. There exist extensive studies on the Galois groups of some special postcritically finite polynomial maps. However, the present paper seems be the first one to consider the case of a postcritically finite non-polynomial quadratic rational function.