On the class numbers of the maximal real subfields of cyclotomic function fields (Q1266995): Difference between revisions

The author shows that in the function field case the class numbers of the maximal real subfields of the \(l\)-th cyclotomic fields, \(h_{l}^+\), are unbounded. The analogous result is unknown in the number field setting. Fix a prime power \(q \neq 2\) and the prime divisor \(\infty\) of the function field \(k = {\mathbb F}_{q}(T)\) corresponding to the pole of \(T\). The precise result proven here is that for each natural number \(N\), there exist infinitely many monic irreducible \(P(T)\) in \({\mathcal O } = {\mathbb F}_{q}[T]\) such that \(N\) is less than the ideal class number of the integral closure of \({\mathcal O}\) in the maximal abelian extension of \(k\) which is unramified except over \(\langle P(T)\rangle\), for which \(\langle P(T)\rangle\) is tamely ramified and \(\infty\) splits completely. The proof is constructive, and indicates some of the class group structure. The proof is a skilled use of the algebra of field extensions to allow an implementation of a mild generalisation of a result of \textit{M. Madan} [Arch. Math. 21, 167-171 (1970; Zbl 0195.33801)], giving a lower bound on the \(l\)-rank of rings of integers in cyclic function field extensions in terms of ramification data.