On cubic Galois field extensions (Q1048931)

\textit{P. Morton} [J. Number Theory 49, No. 2, 183--208 (1994; Zbl 0810.12003)] proved that each cubic Galois extension \(F/K\) can be defined by a polynomial \[ X^3+\tfrac 12 (s- 1)X^2- \tfrac 14 (s^2+ 2s+ 9)X+\tfrac 18 (s^3+ s^2+ 7s- 1)\in K[X] \] with discriminant \((^s2+ s+ 7)^2\). The element \(s\in K\), which determines \(F/K\) uniquely, is now called a Morton-parameter. More than one Morton-parameter can belong to the same field. In this paper (which elaborates on parts of his thesis), the author derives a Morton-parameter from the coefficients of an arbitrary cubic polynomial \(f(X)= X^3+ aX^2+ bX+ c\in K[X]\), with \(\text{char}(K)\neq 2,3\), defining a cubic Galois extension \(F/K\). Let \(m= -a^2+ 3b\), \(n= 2a^3- 9ab+ 27c\), \(D= (-4m^3- n^2)/27\) and \(\zeta\in\overline K\) be a primitive third root of unity. Then \[ s= \begin{cases} -{1\over 2}+ {n\over 2D}\sqrt{D}\quad & (a^2\neq 3b),\\ {27(1+ 3\zeta)+ (1+ 3\zeta^2)n\over 27+ n}\quad & (a^2= 3b)\end{cases} \] is a Morton-parameter of \(F/K\). For \(K= \mathbb Q\), the parameters s and cubic Galois polynomials over \(\mathbb Z\) are classified according to the discriminant of the field extension. A simple criterion is provided to decide if two fields given by two \(s\)-parameters or defining polynomials are equal or not. For a corrigendum to this article see J. Number Theory 131, No. 6, 1148 (2011; Zbl 1219.12005).