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Linearized polynomials over finite fields revisited

We give new characterizations of the algebra $\mathscr{L}_n(\mathbb{F}_{q^n})$ formed by all linearized polynomials over the finite field $\mathbb{F}_{q^n}$ after briefly surveying some known ones. One isomorphism we construct is between $\mathscr{L}_n(\mathbb{F}_{q^n})$ and the composition algebra $\mathbb{F}_{q^n}^\vee\otimes_{\mathbb{F}_{q}}\mathbb{F}_{q^n}$. The other isomorphism we construct is between $\mathscr{L}_n(\mathbb{F}_{q^n})$ and the so-called Dickson matrix algebra $\mathscr{D}_n(\mathbb{F}_{q^n})$. We also further study the relations between a linearized polynomial and its associated Dickson matrix, generalizing a well-known criterion of Dickson on linearized permutation polynomials. Adjugate polynomial of a linearized polynomial is then introduced, and connections between them are discussed. Both of the new characterizations can bring us more simple approaches to establish a special form of representations of linearized polynomials proposed recently by several authors. Structure of the subalgebra $\mathscr{L}_n(\mathbb{F}_{q^m})$ which are formed by all linearized polynomials over a subfield $\mathbb{F}_{q^m}$ of $\mathbb{F}_{q^n}$ where $m|n$ are also described.