Character Sums, Gaussian Hypergeometric Series, and a Family of Hyperelliptic Curves

Abstract

We study the character sums \[\phi_{(m,n)}(a,b)=\sum_{x\in\mathbb{F}_q}\phi\left(x(x^{m}+a)(x^{n}+b)\right),\textrm{ and, } \psi_{(m,n)}(a,b)=\sum_{x\in\mathbb{F}_q}\phi\left((x^{m}+a)(x^{n}+b)\right)\] where $\phi$ is the quadratic character defined over $\mathbb{F}_q$. These sums are expressed in terms of Gaussian hypergeometric series over $\mathbb{F}_q$. Then we use these expressions to exhibit the number of $\mathbb{F}_q$-rational points on families of hyperelliptic curves and their Jacobian varieties.