On first layers of \(\mathbb Z_p\)-extensions (Q740926)

An extension \(K/k\) of a number field \(k\) is called a \(\mathbb Z_p\)-extension if \(K/k\) is normal with Galois group \(\mathbb Z_p\), the group of \(p\)-adic integers. For any such \(\mathbb Z_p\)-extension \(K/k\), let \(k_n\) denote the unique subextension of \(K\) with degree \(p^n\) over \(k\). This article deals with the classical problem of characterizing the first layers \(k_n/k\) of a \(\mathbb Z_p\)-extension \(K/k\). Now fix a \(\mathbb Z_p\)-extension \(K/k\) and let \(\Theta_k\) denote the group of all \(\alpha \in k^\times\) for which \(k(\alpha^{1/p})\) is a subfield of some \(\mathbb Z_p\)-extension of \(k\). The main theorem squeezes the group \(\Theta_k/k^{\times\,p}\) between the images of two homomorphisms \(\pi_1\) and \(\pi_2\) (depending on \(k\)), which are defined as follows. Let \(k_\infty^{\mathrm{cyc}}/k\) denote the cyclotomic \(\mathbb Z_p\)-extension of \(k\); fix and a topological generator \(\tau\) of its Galois group, and let \(T\) be an indeterminate such that the correspondence \(T \leftrightarrow \tau-1\) identifies the ring \(\mathbb Z[T,(1+T)^{-1}]\) with the integral group ring \(\mathbb Z[\text{Gal}(k_\infty^{\mathrm{cyc}}/k)]\). Let \(a_n\) denote a nonzero element of the \(n\)-th layer \(k_n\) of \(K/k\) and let \(N_n\) denote the norm map \(k_n^\times \longrightarrow k^\times\). The homomorphism \(\pi_1\) sends the element \((a_n \cdot Tk_n^{\times\,p^n} k^{\times\,p^m})_n\) in the inverse limit of \(k_n^\times/(Tk_n^{\times\,p^n} k^{\times\,p^m})\) to the coset \(N_1(a_1) \cdot k^{\times\,p} \in k^\times/k^{\times\,p}\), and \(\pi_2\) is a homomorphism from the inverse limit of \(k_n^\times/(T-p^m)k_n^\times \cdot k^{\times\,p^{m-1}}\) to \(k^\times/k^{\times\,p}\) defined in a similar way; both inverse limits are defined with respect to the norm maps between the finite layers \(k_n\). The inclusions in the main result \(\text{im}\;\pi_1 \subseteq \Theta_k/k^{\times\,p} \subseteq \text{im}\;\pi_2\) are not known to be strict for a single example. It is proved that if \(k\) is the field of \(p^m\)-th roots of unity satisfying the Kummer-Vandiver conjecture, then the first inclusion is an equality, and the image may be given explicitly in terms of cyclotomic units. For fields in which the images of \(\pi_1\) and \(\pi_2\) coincide, the Coleman map may be used to give a complete description of the first layers of the \(\mathbb Z_p\)-extensions of \(k\). The proof borrows techniques from an article by \textit{F. Bertrandias} and \textit{J.-J. Payan} [Ann. Sci. Éc. Norm. Supér. (4) 5, 517--543 (1972; Zbl 0246.12005)].