Positivity preservers over finite fields

We resolve an algebraic version of Schoenberg's celebrated theorem [Duke Math. J.}, 1942] characterizing entrywise matrix transforms that preserve positive definiteness. Compared to the classical real and complex settings, we consider matrices with entries in a finite field and obtain a complete characterization of such preservers for matrices of a fixed dimension. When the dimension of the matrices is at least $3$, we prove that, surprisingly, the positivity preservers are precisely the positive multiples of the field's automorphisms. Our work makes crucial use of the well-known character-sum bound due to Weil, and of a result of Carlitz [Proc. Amer. Math. Soc., 1960] that provides a characterization of the automorphisms of Paley graphs.