On the Kummer-Leopoldt constant of a number field (Q706157)

Kummer's Lemma states that if \(p\) is a regular prime, then a unit in the \(p\)th cyclotomic field that is congruent to an integer mod \(p\) is a \(p\)th power. This can be rephrased as saying that a unit that is locally a \(p\)th power at the prime above \(p\) is a global \(p\)th power. This phenomenon has been studied in various settings by several authors, including \textit{B. Anglès} [Acta Arith. 98, No.~1, 33--51 (2001; Zbl 1002.11076)], \textit{F. Lorenz} [Algebra Anal. 10, No. 6, 144--155 (1998); translation in St. Petersb. Math. J. 10, No.~6, 1005--1013 (1999; Zbl 0936.11063)], \textit{M. Ozaki} [Acta Arith. 81, No.~1, 37--44 (1997; Zbl 0873.11059)], \textit{T. Shimada} [Tokyo J. Math. 20, No.~2, 419--426 (1997; Zbl 0974.11039)], and the reviewer [Ill. J. Math. 23, No.~4, 635--647 (1979; Zbl 0427.12004); J. Number Theory 40, No.~2, 165--173 (1992; Zbl 0746.11043)]. The present paper considers the case of a totally real number field \(F\) and an odd prime \(p\). The Kummer-Leopoldt constant \(\kappa\) is defined to be the smallest integer \(c\), if it exists, with the following property: if \(n\) is sufficiently large and \(u\) is a unit of \(F\) that is a \(p^{n+c}\)th power locally at all primes dividing \(p\), then \(u\) is a global \(p^n\)th power. If Leopoldt's conjecture is true, then \(\kappa\) exists. It is shown that \(p^\kappa\) is the exponent of a certain Iwasawa module arising from work of \textit{F. Bertrandias} and \textit{J.-J. Payan} [Ann. Sci. Éc. Norm. Supér., IV. Sér. 5, 517--543 (1972; Zbl 0246.12005)]. Moreover, an upper bound for \(\kappa\) is given in terms of the \(p\)-adic regulator. The behavior of the Kummer-Leopoldt constant, especially its vanishing, in cyclotomic \(\mathbb Z_p\)-extensions is studied and related to certain Iwasawa \(\lambda\)-invariants.