Factor equivalence results for integers and units (Q1355396)

This paper in Galois module theory provides an elegant approach towards the comparison of certain basic integral Galois modules and known standard modules. Fröhlich and Nelson have introduced the notion of factor equivalence of two \({\mathfrak o}G\)-lattices on a \(kG\)-module \(V\), where \(G\) is a finite group and \({\mathfrak o}\) is a Dedekind domain with quotient field \(k\) (which mostly is the base field of a finite Galois extension \(K/k\) with group \(G\)). The author introduces a slightly more convenient definition and proves that \({\mathfrak o}_K\) and \({\mathfrak o}_kG\), as well as \(E_K(S)\) and \(\Delta S\), are factor equivalent. In fact, in the first case the result applies to more general situations, and in the second case an explicit factorizable function in terms of zeta values, class numbers and an embedding \(\varphi:\Delta S\rightarrowtail E_K(S)\) is given, by means of which the equivalence is exhibited. Above, the notation is as follows: \({\mathfrak o}_L\), for a number field \(L\), is its ring of integers; \(E_L(S)\) is the group of \(S\)-units in \(L\), where \(S\) is a finite \(G\)-stable set of places of \(L\) containing all infinite ones; \(\Delta S\) is the kernel of the natural augmentation map \(\mathbb{Z} S\to\mathbb{Z}\). The respective spaces \(V\) are \(K\simeq kG\) (Noether's normal basis theorem) and \(\mathbb{Q}\otimes E_K(S)\overset\varphi\simeq \mathbb{Q}\otimes\Delta S\) (Dirichlet's unit theorem). Applications concern index computations for rings of integers in abelian extensions \(K/k\) and class number inequalities between arithmetically equivalent number fields. The paper is to be seen in the context of [\textit{A. Brauer}, Math. Nachr. 4, 158-174 (1951; Zbl 0042.03801); \textit{D. J. Burns}, J. Algebra 134, 257-270 (1990; Zbl 0734.11064); and \textit{A. Fröhlich}, J. Reine Angew. Math. 397, 42-99 (1989; Zbl 0693.12012) and Ill. J. Math. 32, 407-421 (1988; Zbl 0664.12007)].