Decidability of polynomial equations over function fields in positive characteristic
Number Theory
2025-12-05 v2 Logic
Abstract
Let be a field of positive characteristic with no algebraically closed subfield. Let be a function field over and transcendental over . Refining a result of Eisentr{\"a}ger and Shlapentokh, we show that there is no algorithm which, on input a polynomial , determines whether has a zero in . To this end, we revisit and partially extend several recent results from the literature on existential definability in function fields.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2509.02290,
title = {Decidability of polynomial equations over function fields in positive characteristic},
author = {Nicolas Daans},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2509.02290},
year = {2025}
}
Comments
Preprint, 20 pages. Lemma 2.1 rewritten under weaker hypotheses