On the Zeta Function of Forms of Fermat Equations

In this paper, we give an overview of the various general methods in computing the zeta function of an algebraic variety defined over a finite field, with an emphasis on computing the reduction modulo $p^m$ of the zeta function of a hypersurface, where $p$ is the characteristic of the finite field. In particular, this applies to the problem of counting rational points of an algebraic variety over a finite field.

This paper intends to give a mathematical explanation for results on the zeta-function of some families of varieties recently obtained in the context of Mirror Symmetry. In doing so, we obtain concrete and explicit examples for some results recently used in algorithms to count points on smooth hypersurfaces in P^n. In particular, we extend the monomial-motive correspondence of Kadir and Yui and we give explicit solutions to the p-adic Picard-Fuchs equation associated with mon...

These are the notes from the summer school in G\"ottingen sponsored by NATO Advanced Study Institute on Higher-Dimensional Geometry over Finite Fields that took place in 2007. The aim was to give a short introduction on zeta functions over finite fields, focusing on moment zeta functions and zeta functions of affine toric hypersurfaces.

Let $F_n$ denote the Fermat curve given by $x^n+y^n=z^n$ and let $\mu_n$ denote the Galois module of $n$th roots of unity. It is known that the integral homology group $H_1(F_n,\Z)$ is a cyclic $\Z[\mu_n\times \mu_n]$ module. In this paper, we prove this result using modular symbols and the modular description of Fermat curves; moreover we find a basis for the integral homology group $H_1(F_n,\Z)$. We also construct a family of Fermat curves using the Fermat surface and compu...

We survey some recent applications of p-adic cohomology to machine computation of zeta functions of algebraic varieties over finite fields of small characteristic, and suggest some new avenues for further exploration.

Let $\mathbb{F}_q$ be a finite field with $q=p^n$ elements. In this paper, we study the number of $\mathbb{F}_q$-rational points on the affine hypersurface $\mathcal X$ given by $a_1 x_1^{d_1}+\dots+a_s x_s^{d_s}=b$, where $b\in\mathbb{F}_q^*$. A classic well-konwn result from Weil yields a bound for such number of points. This paper presents necessary and sufficient conditions for the maximality and minimality of $\mathcal X$ with respect to Weil's bound.

Using the cohomology theory of Dwork, as developed by Adolphson and Sperber, we exhibit a deterministic algorithm to compute the zeta function of a nondegenerate hypersurface defined over a finite field. This algorithm is particularly well-suited to work with polynomials in small characteristic that have few monomials (relative to their dimension). Our method covers toric, affine, and projective hypersurfaces and also can be used to compute the L-function of an exponential su...

This paper presents a new characterisation of the Fermat curve, according to the arrangement of Galois points.

We present new algorithms for computing zeta functions of algebraic varieties over finite fields. In particular, let X be an arithmetic scheme (scheme of finite type over Z), and for a prime p let zeta_{X_p}(s) be the local factor of its zeta function. We present an algorithm that computes zeta_{X_p}(s) for a single prime p in time p^(1/2+o(1)), and another algorithm that computes zeta_{X_p}(s) for all primes p < N in time N (log N)^(3+o(1)). These generalise previous results...

We present a method for computing the zeta function of a smooth projective variety over a finite field which proceeds by induction on the dimension. We have implemented our approach for some surfaces using the Magma programming language, and present some explicit examples which we have computed.