English

Counting the number of $\mathcal{O}_{K}$-fixed points of a discrete dynamical system with applications from arithmetic statistics, II

Number Theory 2026-01-16 v3 Dynamical Systems

Abstract

In this follow-up paper, we again inspect a surprising connection between the set of fixed points of a polynomial map φd,c\varphi_{d,c} defined by φd,c(z)=zd+c\varphi_{d,c}(z) = z^d + c for all c,zOKc, z \in \mathcal{O}_{K} and the coefficient cc, where KK is any number field of degree n>1n > 1 and d>2d > 2 is an integer. As before, we wish to study counting problems which are inspired by exciting advances in arithmetic statistics, and again partly by point-counting result of Narkiewicz on real KK-rational periodic points of any odd degree map φd,c\varphi_{d,c} in arithmetic dynamics. In doing so, we then first prove that for any real algebraic number field KK of degree n2n \geq 2, and for any prime p3p \geq 3 and integer 1\ell \geq 1, the average number of distinct integral fixed points of any φp,c\varphi_{p^{\ell},c} modulo prime ideal pOKp\mathcal{O}_{K} is 33 or 00 as cc\to \infty. Motivated further by KK-rational periodic point-counting result of Benedetto on any φ(p1),c\varphi_{(p-1)^{\ell},c} for any prime p5p \geq 5 and integer Z1\ell \in \mathbb{Z}_{\geq 1} in arithmetic dynamics, we then also prove unconditionally that for any number field (not necessarily real) KK of degree n2n \geq 2, the average number of distinct integral fixed points of any φ(p1),c\varphi_{(p-1)^{\ell},c} modulo prime pOKp\mathcal{O}_{K} is 11 or 22 or 00 as cc\to \infty. Finally, we then apply density and number field-counting results from arithmetic statistics, and as a result obtain counting and statistical results on irreducible polynomials and number fields arising naturally in our polynomial discrete dynamical settings.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2503.11393,
  title  = {Counting the number of $\mathcal{O}_{K}$-fixed points of a discrete dynamical system with applications from arithmetic statistics, II},
  author = {Brian Kintu},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2503.11393},
  year   = {2026}
}

Comments

16 pages, rewritten to make more insightful, and any comments are very welcome!