Simultaneous diagonal equations over certain \(p\)-adic fields (Q921033)

Let \(K\) be a \(\mathfrak p\)-adic field with \(\mathcal O\) its valuation ring, \(k\) the residue field and \(q=\# k\). Now consider the system of diagonal equations over \(K\), \[ a_{i1}X_1^d+ \cdots +a_{in}X_n^d=0\qquad (i=1,\ldots,r). \tag{1} \] The main result of the paper is that if \(n>2rd\), \(q\nmid d\) and \(q\) is sufficiently large in terms of \(d,r,n\) then (1) has non-trivial solutions in \(K\). This is established by a nice Fourier analysis method, based on ideas of \textit{W. M. Schmidt} [J. Number Theory 19, 63--80 (1984; Zbl 0541.10024)]. The result is best possible with respect to \(n\). However, due to the nature of the method the lower bound on \(q\) required to make the argument work seems to be rather large. (In the special case \(K=\mathbb{Q}_ p\) \textit{O. D. Atkinson}, the reviewer and \textit{R. J. Cook} [Mathematika 39, No. 1, 1--9 (1992; Zbl 0774.11016)] have shown by a much more elementary method that the result holds providing \(p>d^{2r+2})\).