Characterization of 2-ramified power series (Q503713)

Let \(k\) be a finite field of characteristic \(p>2\). The Nottingham group \({\mathcal N}(k)\) consists of the set of all series \(u(\zeta)\in k[[\zeta]]\) of the form \(u(\zeta)=\zeta+a_1\zeta^2+a_2\zeta^3+\cdots\), with the operation of composition. Let \(u(\zeta)\in{\mathcal N}(k)\) with \(u(\zeta)\not=\zeta\). The depth \(D(u)\) of \(u(\zeta)\) is defined to be the smallest \(n\geq1\) such that \(a_n\not=1\); if \(u(\zeta)=\zeta\) then \(D(u)=\infty\). Suppose \(D(u)=2\). Then it is well known that \(D(u^p)\geq2+2p\). In this paper, the author gives an explicit formula for the coefficient of \(\zeta^{3+2p}\) in \(u^p(\zeta)\). This gives a criterion for determining when \(D(u^p)=2+2p\). If \(D(u^p)=2+2p\) then it follows from [\textit{F. Laubie} and \textit{M. Saïne}, J. Number Theory 63, No. 1, 143--145 (1997; Zbl 0873.12008)] that \(D(u^{p^n})=2+2p+\cdots+2p^n\) for all \(n\geq1\).