Newton polygons for twisted exponential sums and polynomials $P(x^d)$

Abstract

We study the $p$-adic absolute value of the roots of the $L$-functions associated to certain twisted character sums, and additive character sums associated to polynomials $P(x^d)$, when $P$ varies among the space of polynomial of fixed degree $e$ over a finite field of characteristic $p$. For sufficiently large $p$, we determine in both cases generic Newton polygons for these $L$-functions, which is a lower bound for the Newton polygons, and the set of polynomials of degree $e$ for which this generic polygon is attained. In the case of twisted sums, we show that the lower polygon defined in \cite{as1} is tight when $p\equiv 1[de]$, and that it is the actual Newton polygon for any degree $e$ polynomial.

The results in this preprint have been strenghened in arXiv:0706.2340; please look at this new preprint