English

Decidability of polynomial equations over function fields in positive characteristic

Number Theory 2025-12-05 v2 Logic

Abstract

Let KK be a field of positive characteristic with no algebraically closed subfield. Let FF be a function field over KK and tFt \in F transcendental over KK. Refining a result of Eisentr{\"a}ger and Shlapentokh, we show that there is no algorithm which, on input a polynomial fZ[t][X1,,Xn]f \in \mathbb{Z}[t][X_1, \ldots, X_n], determines whether ff has a zero in FnF^n. To this end, we revisit and partially extend several recent results from the literature on existential definability in function fields.

Keywords

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

R2 v1 2026-07-01T05:17:17.606Z