Local symbols and a first-order definition of the polynomial ring over an ultra-finite field in its fraction field

Abstract

In this paper, we prove the existence of a first-order definition of the polynomial ring over a nonprincipal ultraproduct of finite fields of unbounded cardinalities in its fraction field by a universal-existential formula in the language of rings augmented by an additional constant symbol $t$. As a consequence, we prove that the full first-order theory of the rational function field over a nonprincipal ultraproduct of finite fields of characteristic $0$ is undecidable.

Added references and a new result regarding undecidability