Infinite collision conjecture over the algebraic closure of a finite field

Let d2d\ge 2 be an integer that is not a power of pp, and let α1,α2,βFp\alpha_1,\alpha_2,\beta\in\overline{\mathbb F}_p. For each λFp\lambda\in\overline{\mathbb F}_p, let fλ(z)=zd+λf_\lambda(z)=z^d+\lambda, and define

C(α1,α2;β)={λFp:fλm(α1)=fλn(α2)=β for some m,nN}.C(\alpha_1,\alpha_2;\beta)=\left\{\lambda\in\overline{\mathbb F}_p: f_\lambda^m(\alpha_1)=f_\lambda^n(\alpha_2)=\beta\text{ for some }m,n\in\mathbb{N}\right\}.

Infinite collision conjecture. The set C(α1,α2;β)C(\alpha_1,\alpha_2;\beta) is infinite. The conjecture reverses the expectation stated immediately beforehand, which predicted finiteness when α1dα2d\alpha_1^d\ne\alpha_2^d; the source reports extensive computation but gives no proof or resolution.

Sources & referencesView supporting material

Primary source

Shamil Asgarli and Dragos Ghioca, “Collision of orbits for families of polynomials defined over fields of positive characteristic”, arXiv:2508.06279 (2026).

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