Hypergeometric Integrals Modulo $p$ and Hasse--Witt Matrices

Abstract

We consider the KZ differential equations over $\mathbb C$ in the case, when the hypergeometric solutions are one-dimensional integrals. We also consider the same differential equations over a finite field $\mathbb F_p$. We study the space of polynomial solutions of these differential equations over $\mathbb F_p$, constructed in a previous work by V. Schechtman and the second author. Using Hasse-Witt matrices we identify the space of these polynomial solutions over $\mathbb F_p$ with the space dual to a certain subspace of regular differentials on an associated curve. We also relate these polynomial solutions over $\mathbb F_p$ and the hypergeometric solutions over $\mathbb C$.