A power sum formula by Carlitz and its applications to permutation rational functions of finite fields (Q2121000)

Let \(\mathbb{F}_q\) denote the finite field with \(q\) elements. In 1935, while studying what later referred to as the Carlitz module, L. Carlitz found a closed formula for the sum \(\sum f^{-k}\), where \(k\) is a fixed positive integer and \(f\) runs through all monic polynomials of degree \(d\) in \(\mathbb{F}_q[X]\). A special case of Carlitz's formula states that \[ \sum_{x\in \mathbb{F}_q}\frac 1{(X+x)^k}=\frac 1{(X-X^q)^k},\quad 1\le k\le q. \] For the purpose of the paper under review, the author writes the above equation as \[ \sum_{x\in \mathbb{F}_q}\frac 1{(x-X)^k}=\frac 1{(X^q-X)^k},\quad 1\le k\le q. \] The main purpose of the present paper is to demonstrate a nice application of the above equation in permutation rational functions of finite fields. Let \(\mathbb P^1(\mathbb{F}_q)=\mathbb{F}_q\cup\{\infty\}\) be the projective line over \(\mathbb{F}_q\). A rational function in \(\mathbb{F}_q(X)\) defines a mapping from \(\mathbb P^1(\mathbb{F}_q)\) to itself. For \(0\ne f(X)=P(X)/Q(X)\in \mathbb{F}_q(X)\), where \(P,Q\in \mathbb{F}_q[X]\) and \(\text{gcd}(P,Q)=1\), define \(\deg f=\max\{\deg P,\deg Q\}\). Let \(G(q)=\{\phi\in \mathbb{F}_q(X):\deg\phi=1\}\). Then \((G(q),\circ)\) is a group which is isomorphic to \(\text{PGL}(2,\mathbb{F}_q)\). Elements of \(G(q)\) induce permutations of \(\mathbb P^1(\mathbb{F}_q)\). Two rational functions \(f,g\in \mathbb{F}_q(X)\) are called \textit{ equivalent} if there exist \(\phi,\psi\in G(q)\) such that \(f=\phi\circ g\circ \psi\). A polynomial \(f(X)\in \mathbb{F}_q[X]\) that permutes \(\mathbb{F}_q\) is called a \textit{permutation polynomial} (PP) of \(\mathbb{F}_q\); a rational function \(f(X)\in \mathbb{F}_q(X)\) that permutes \(\mathbb P^1(\mathbb{F}_q)\) is called a \textit{permutation rational function} (PR) of \(\mathbb P^1(\mathbb{F}_q)\). There is an extensive literature on permutation polynomials. In particular, PPs of degree \(\le 7\), including degree 8 in characteristic 2, have already been classified. However, little is known about PRs of low degree of \(\mathbb P^1(\mathbb{F}_q)\). Recently, \textit{A. Ferraguti} and \textit{G. Micheli} [Des. Codes Cryptography 88, No. 5, 867--886 (2020; Zbl 1477.11196)] classified PRs of degree \(3\) of \(\mathbb P^1(\mathbb{F}_q)\) using the Chebotarev theorem for function fields. In the paper under review, the author reaches the same conclusion fairly quickly using the second equation given in this review. Moreover, the author determines all PRs of degree \(4\) of \(\mathbb P^1(\mathbb{F}_q)\) using the second equation under a certain condition.