Misiurewicz polynomials and dynamical units, part I

Abstract

We study the dynamics of the unicritical polynomial family [Formula: see text]. The [Formula: see text]-values for which [Formula: see text] has a strictly preperiodic postcritical orbit are called Misiurewicz parameters, and they are the roots of Misiurewicz polynomials. The arithmetic properties of these special parameters have found applications in both arithmetic and complex dynamics. In this paper, we investigate some new such properties. In particular, when [Formula: see text] is a prime power and [Formula: see text] is a Misiurewicz parameter, we prove certain arithmetic relations between the points in the postcritical orbit of [Formula: see text]. We also consider the algebraic integers obtained by evaluating a Misiurewicz polynomial at a different Misiurewicz parameter, and we ask when these algebraic integers are algebraic units. This question naturally arises from some results recently proven by Buff, Epstein, and Koch and by the second author. We propose a conjectural answer to this question, which we prove in many cases.