Irregularities in the distributions of primes in function fields (Q927728)

Let \(f\in \mathbb{F}_q[t]\) be a fixed polynomial, and let \(n < \deg (f)\). Let the ``interval'' \((f,n)\) be the set of polynomials \(f+g\), where \(g\) ranges over all polynomials with \(\deg g \leq n\). Let \(\pi(f,n)\) denote the number of primes in this interval. One expects \(\pi(f,n)\sim \frac{q^{n+1}}{\deg f}\), for reasonably large \(n\). Using Maier's matrix method [\textit{H. Maier}, Mich. Math. J. 32, 221--225 (1985; Zbl 0569.10023)] the author proves irregular distribution for medium sized \(n\): \[ \lim\sup_{k \rightarrow \infty} \sup_{\deg f=k} \frac{\pi(f,s(k))}{q^{s(k)+1}/k}> 1, \qquad \lim\inf_{k \rightarrow \infty} \inf_{\deg f=k} \frac{\pi(f,s(k))}{q^{s(k)+1}/k}< 1, \] where \(s(k)= \lceil\lambda_0 \log k \rceil\), for some constant \(\lambda_0\). Following Shiu's work [\textit{D. K. L. Shiu}, J. Lond. Math. Soc., II. Ser. 61, No. 2, 359--373 (2000; Zbl 0973.11083)] the author also proves that there is a long string of consecutive primes in a given residue classe, where ``consecutive'' refers to a lexicographic order. For arbitrary polynomials \(m\) and \(a\) with \(m\) monic and \(\gcd(a,m)=1\), there exists a constant \(D'\) (depending on \(q\) and \(m\)) such that for any \(D>D'\) there exists a string of consecutive primes \(p_{r+1} \equiv p_{r+2} \equiv \ldots \equiv p_{r+k} \equiv a \bmod m\), of degree at most \(D\), where \(k\) satisfies \[ k \gg_q \frac{1}{\varphi(m)} \left( \frac{\log D}{(\log \log D)^2}\right)^{1/\varphi(m)}. \] Here \(p_i=f+g_i\) for a fixed polynomial \(f\), and polynomials \(g_i\) of comparatively small degree.