On iterations of rational functions over perfect fields

Abstract: Let

m a t h b b K

be a perfect field of characterstic

p g e 0

and let

R i n m a t h b b K (x)

be a rational function. This paper studies the number

D e l t a_{a l p h a, R} (n)

of distinct solutions of

R^{(n)} (x) = a l p h a

over the algebraic closure

o v e r l i n e m a t h b b K

of

m a t h b b K

, where

a l p h a i n o v e r l i n e m a t h b b K

and

R^{(n)}

is the

n

-fold composition of

R

with itself. With the exception of some pairs

(a l p h a, R)

, we prove that

D e l t a_{a l p h a, R} (n) = c_{a l p h a, R} c d o t d^{n} + O_{a l p h a, R} (1)

for some

0 < c_{a l p h a, R} l e 1 < d

. The number

d

is readily obtained from

R

and we provide estimates on

c_{a l p h a, R}

. Moreover we prove that the exceptional pairs

(a l p h a, R)

satisfy

D e l t a_{a l p h a, R} (n) l e 2

for every

n g e 0

, and we fully describe them. We also discuss further questions and propose some problems in the case where

m a t h b b K

is finite.

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