On field extensions given by periods of Drinfeld modules

Abstract

In this short note, we answer a question raised by M. Papikian on a universal upper bound for the degree of the extension of $K_\infty$ given by adjoining the periods of a Drinfeld module of rank 2. We show that contrary to the rank 1 case such a universal upper bound does not exist, and the proof generalises to higher rank. Moreover, we give an upper and lower bound for the extension degree depending on the valuations of the defining coefficients of the Drinfeld module. In particular, the lower bound shows the non-existence of a universal upper bound.