Class group relations from Burnside ring idempotents (Q1372595)

The paper is based on the observation that, given a finite Galois extension \(L/K\) with group \(G\), the ideal class groups \(cl_E\) of the intermediate fields \(E\) in \(L/K\) fit into the framework of a cohomological Mackey functor. By \textit{T. Yoshida} [J. Math. Soc. Jap. 35, 179-190 (1983; Zbl 0507.20010)] each such can be regarded as a functor on the category of permutation modules. As a consequence, class number relations are regained which have been believed to reflect rather intrinsic number theoretical properties. Striking new relations, however, are not presented. The main result displays an explicit relation between the \(p\)-parts of all \(cl_E\) as long as \(\text{Gal} (L/E)\) is contained in a subgroup of \(G\) which is not a split extension of a \(p\)-group by a cyclic group. There is some overlap with \textit{K. Roggenkamp} and \textit{L. Scott} [J. Pure Appl. Algebra 26, 85-100 (1982; Zbl 0572.20003)].