Weierstrass semigroups in an asymptotically optimal tower of function fields (Q7025893)

The paper computes the Weierstrass semigroup at some places in a particular asymptotically optimal tower of function fields.\N\NThe concept of tower of function fields was due to \textit{A. Garcia} and \textit{H. Stichtenoth} [J. Number Theory 61, No. 2, 248--273 (1996; Zbl 0893.11047)] as a sequence \(\mathcal{F}=(F_1,F_2,F_3,\dots)\)\, of function fields with constant field a finite field \(\mathbb{F}_q\),\, \(F_1\subset F_2\subset F_3\dots\),\, \(F_{i+1}/F_i\)\, a finite separable extension and \(g(F_i)>1\)\, for some \(i\ge 1\).\N\NLet \(\lambda(\mathcal{F})=\lim N(F_i)/g(F_i),\, i\rightarrow \infty\),\, with \(N(F_i)\)\, the number of rational places of \(F_i/\mathbb{F}_q\). It is known that \(0 \le\lambda(\mathcal{F})\le \sqrt{q}-1\)\ and \(\mathcal{F}\)\, it is called asymptotically optimal when \(\lambda(\mathcal{F})=\sqrt{q}-1\).\N\NIt is a relation between asymptotic properties of towers and asymptotic properties of error correcting codes over \(\mathbb{F}_q\),\, see [\textit{A. Garcia} (ed.) and \textit{H. Stichtenoth} (ed.), Topics in geometry, coding theory and cryptography. Dordrecht: Springer (2007; Zbl 1104.11005)].\N\NThe tower in this paper, due to \textit{A. Garcia} et al. [J. Reine Angew. Math. 557, 53--80 (2003; Zbl 1055.11039)] is \(\mathcal{M}=(M_1, M_2,\dots)\),\, over \(\mathbb{F}_{q=p^2},\,p\)\, prime, where \(M_i\)\, it is a function field of one variable, \(M_1=\mathbb{F}_q(x_1),\, M_{i+1}=M_i(x_{i+1})\)\, with \(x^2_{i+1}=y_1=(x_i^2+1)/2x_i\). There exist one place \(P_i\)\, over \(P_1=(x_1=\infty)\) and the aim of te paper it is to determine the Weierstrass semigroup \(H_i=H(P_i)\), along a set of defining functions.\N\NSection 2 determines the divisor of several functions: \(y_i\)\, (Theorem 2.1), \(x_i,\, z_i= (x_{i-2}+1)/x_i\),\, etc. Section 3 find the set of functions with pole divisor \(nP_i\)\, for \(i=1,\dots,8\)\, and then the Weierstrass semigroup \(H_i,\, 1=2,\dots,8,\, (H_1=\mathbb{N}_0)\).