The index of a cyclic quartic field (Q1411606)

Let \(K\) be an algebraic number field with ring of integers \(\mathbb Z_K\). For \(\alpha\in \mathbb Z_K\) with \(K=Q(\alpha)\) the index of \(\alpha\) is the module index \([\mathbb Z_K:\mathbb Z[\alpha]]\). The index of the number field \(K\) is the greatest common divisor of the indices of its primitive integral elements. The authors consider the index of cyclic quartic fields. Each field of this type can be expressed uniquely in the form \(\mathbb Q(\sqrt{A(D+B\sqrt{D}}))\) with integer parameters \(A,B,D\) satisfying certain conditions. In the first part of the paper the field index of \(K\) is explicitly given in terms of \(A,B,D\). The only possible field indices are \(1,2,3,4,6,12\). In the second part asymptotic formulae are given for the number of cyclic quartic fields with discriminant \(\leq x\) and given index. The proofs of these outstanding results are based on tedious and very accurate calculations. Note that \textit{I. Gaál}, \textit{A. Pethő} and \textit{M. Pohst} [Arch. Math. 57, 357--361 (1991; Zbl 0724.11049)] characterized indices of biquadratic number fields.