Triple Massey products and Galois theory (Q509107)

It is well-known that the Galois group \(\mathcal{G}(L/E)\) of any Galois extension \(L/E\) is profinite (equivalently, a compact and totally disconnected Hausdorff topological group) with respect to the Krull topology. Conversely, every profinite group \(\mathcal{G}\) is isomorphic as a topological group to \(\mathcal{G}(L _ {\mathcal{G}}/E _ {\mathcal{G}})\), for some Galois extension \(L _ {\mathcal{G}}/E _ {\mathcal{G}}\). Moreover, \(\mathcal{G}\) can be realized as an absolute Galois group (abbr, AGG) whenever it is a projective profinite group; as shown by \textit{A. Lubotzky} and \textit{L. van den Dries}, in this case, the ground field can be chosen so as to be pseudo algebraically closed (see [Isr. J. Math. 39, 25--45 (1981; Zbl 0485.20021)]). Generally, profinite groups need not be realizable as AGG. Firstly, by the Artin-Schreier theory, AGG do not contain elements of finite orders \(\geq 3\). Secondly, one should note that solvable AGG are metabelian, by \textit{J. Koenigsmann}'s theorem (see [Invent. Math. 144, No. 1, 1--22 (2001; Zbl 1016.12005)]). The present interest in the problem of characterizing AGG among profinite groups is motivated by the proof of the Bloch-Kato Conjecture by \textit{V. Voevodsky} [Ann. Math. (2) 174, No. 1, 401--438 (2011; Zbl 1236.14026); Publ. Math., Inst. Hautes Étud. Sci. 98, 59--104 (2003; Zbl 1057.14028)]. The Rost-Voevodsky theorem imposes strong restrictions on AGG which, however, has not led yet to direct structural results. It is strongly expected that the possibility to develop a structural theory of AGG depends on two relatively new conjectures on Galois cohomology, namely, the Vanishing \(n\)-Massey Conjecture (abbr, (VMC)\(_ n\)) and the Kernel \(n\)-unipotent Conjecture. The main objective of the paper under review is to prove (VMC)\(_ 3\), for \(p = 2\), and to deduce from this result strong consequences concerning the structure of relations in AGG of all fields or their maximal pro-\(2\) quotients. The paper provides examples of pro-\(p\)-groups \(G _ p\) violating (VMC)\(_ 3\), for each prime \(p\) (when \(p = 2\), this means that \(G _ p\) is not realizable as the Galois group of the maximal \(2\)-extension of any field). Also, the authors show that (VMC)\(_ n\) holds, for \(n \geq 3\) and general Demushkin pro-\(p\)-groups, where \(p\) is an arbitrary prime number. As a whole, the results of the paper are relevant in determining strong automatic realizations of canonical quotients of AGG (see [\textit{J. Mináč} et al., Bull. Lond. Math. Soc. 46, No. 1, 143--154 (2014; Zbl 1301.12003)]).