Congruences for L-functions of additive exponential sums

Abstract

We give a congruence for L-functions coming from affine additive exponential sums over a finite field. Precisely, we give a congruence for certain operators coming from Dwork's theory. This congruence is very similar to the congruence of Manin for the characteristic polynomial of the action of Frobenius on the Jacobian of a curve defined over a finite field.