On the number of rational points on curves over finite fields with many automorphisms

Antonio Rojas-Leon

Published 2010-05-21, updated 2010-05-27Version 2

Using Weil descent, we give bounds for the number of rational points on two families of curves over finite fields with a large abelian group of automorphisms: Artin-Schreier curves of the form $y^q-y=f(x)$ with $f\in\Fqr[x]$, on which the additive group $\Fq$ acts, and Kummer curves of the form $y^{\frac{q-1}{e}}=f(x)$, which have an action of the multiplicative group $\Fq^\star$. In both cases we can remove a $\sqrt{q}$ factor from the Weil bound when $q$ is sufficiently large.