Probabilities of incidence between lines and a plane curve over finite fields

Abstract

We study the probability for a random line to intersect a given plane curve, over a finite field, in a given number of points over the same field. In particular, we focus on the limits of these probabilities under successive finite field extensions. Supposing absolute irreducibility for the curve, we show how a variant of the Chebotarev density theorem for function fields can be used to prove the existence of these limits, and to compute them under a mildly stronger condition, known as simple tangency. Partial results have already appeared in the literature, and we propose this work as an introduction to the use of the Chebotarev theorem in the context of incidence geometry. Finally, Veronese maps allow us to compute similar probabilities of intersection between a given curve and random curves of given degree.