Euler systems and special units (Q1764778)

Let \(p\) be an odd prime and let \(F\) be the maximal real subfield of the \(p\)th cyclotomic field. Let \(Cl_F\) be the ideal class group of \(F\). \textit{K. Rubin} [Invent. Math. 89, 511--526 (1987; Zbl 0628.12007)] defined the special units \(S_F\), which form a subgroup of the units \(E_F\) of \(F\) and contain the cyclotomic units \(C_F\) of \(F\). The motivation for the present paper is the question of whether or not \(S_F\) equals the cyclotomic units. The author defines a sequence of subgroups \(E_F=S_F^0\supseteq S_F^1=S_F\supseteq S_F^2\supseteq \cdots \supseteq C_F\) and asks whether \(Cl_F\) is isomorphic to \(\bigoplus_{n\geq 0} S_F^n/S_F^{n+1}\) as \(\mathbb Z[\text{Gal}(F/\mathbb Q)]\)-modules. Let \(\chi\) be a \(p\)-adic valued Dirichlet character of Gal\((F/\mathbb Q)\). Write \[ (S_F^n)^{\chi}/(S_F^{n+1})^{\chi} \simeq \mathbb Z/p^{s_{n+1}}\mathbb Z \text{ and } (Cl_F)^{\chi}\simeq \bigoplus_{n=1}^k \mathbb Z/p^{r_i}\mathbb Z, \] with \(r_1\geq r_2\cdots \geq r_k\). The author proves that the number of \(n\geq 0\) such that \((S_F^n)^{\chi}/(S_F^{n+1})^{\chi}\neq 0\) is less than or equal to the \(p\)-rank of \(Cl_F^{\chi}\), and that \(\sum_{i=1}^a r_i\leq \sum_{i=1}^a s_i\) for \(1\leq a\leq k\), with equality for \(a=1\) and \(a=k\). This result implies that \(S_F^{\chi}=C_F^{\chi}\) if and only if \(C_F^{\chi}\) is a cyclic group. The methods of the paper are based on those on \textit{V. Kolyvagin} [The Grothendieck Festschrift, vol. 2, Birkhäuser, Basel, 435--483 (1990; Zbl 0742.14017)], \textit{K. Rubin} [op. cit.], and \textit{F. Thaine} [Math. Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. 108, 197--201 (1990; Zbl 0717.11046)]. As the author points out, the main theorem of the present paper is equivalent to a result in the paper of Kolyvagin.