Primary elements in formal modules (Q483187)

Let \(L\) be a finite extension of the \(p\)-adic field \(\mathbb{Q}_p\) which contains a primitive \(p\)th root of unity. Say that \(\alpha\in L^{\times}\) is a \(p\)-primary element if the Kummer extension \(L(\alpha^{1/p})/L\) is unramified. It is known that every \(\alpha\in L\) such that \(v_p(\alpha-1)=p/(p-1)\) is \(p\)-primary. The aim of this paper is to construct primary elements in the more general setting of formal modules. Let \(K_0/\mathbb{Q}_p\) be a subextension of \(L/\mathbb{Q}_p\) with ring of integers \({\mathcal O}_0\) and uniformizer \(\pi_0\). Let \(F(X,Y)\) be a formal \({\mathcal O}_0\)-module over \(L\). Let \(n\geq1\) and assume that \(L\) contains the kernel of the isogeny \([\pi_0^n]_F(X)\). Suppose \(\beta\in L\) satisfies \(v_L(\beta)>0\). We say that \(\beta\) is a \(\pi_0^n\)-primary element of \(L\) if the solutions of \([\pi_0^n]_F(X)=\beta\) generate an unramified extension of \(L\). This paper gives several methods for constructing \(\pi_0^n\)-primary elements of \(L\). The last of these methods is a direct construction which only uses elements of \(L\). This gives an improvement on the construction given in [\textit{S. V. Vostokov}, Math. USSR, Izv. 15, 25--51 (1980); translation from Izv. Akad. Nauk SSSR, Ser. Mat. 43, 765--794 (1979; Zbl 0463.12008)], which uses elements from the completion of the maximal unramified extension of \(K_0\). The question of which unramified extension of \(L\) is generated by the solutions of \([\pi_0^n]_F(X)=\beta\) is not addressed here.