Verifying a \(p\)-adic abelian Stark conjecture at \(s=1\). (Q1827526)

This article continues an earlier work by \textit{D. Solomon} [Ann. Inst. Fourier 52, No. 2, 379--417 (2002; Zbl 1039.11081)] which provides a new approach to the \(p\)-adic abelian Stark conjecture at \(s=1\). In that article, several related conjectures are formulated, among them the Weak Refined Combined Conjecture (WRCC) concerning, for a totally real field \(k\), a complex or, respectively, \(p\)-adic group-ring-valued function \(\Phi(s)\) (resp.\ \(\Phi_p(s)\)). This function depends upon an ideal \(\mathfrak f\) in \(k\) and a set of prime ideals in \(k\) (containing, in the \(p\)-adic case, the prime ideals above \(p\)). The conjecture predicts that, up to an explicit constant factor, \(\Phi(1)\) (resp.\ \(\Phi_p(1)\)) be equal to the complex (resp.\ \(p\)-adic) group-ring-valued regulator of a certain element defined by the group of \(S\)-units in the ray-class field of \(k(\mathfrak f)\). Here \(S\) consists of the infinite primes and of those dividing \(\mathfrak f\). In the present article the authors develop and apply techniques to numerically confirm the WRCC in 15 examples. Their computation of \(\Phi_p(1)\) relies on \textit{T. Shintani}'s method [J. Fac. Sci., Univ. Tokyo, Sect. I A 23, 393--417 (1976; Zbl 0349.12007)] and on the theory of \(p\)-adic measures. In the examples, they take \(k\) a real quadratic field and let \(p\) run through several primes. The results are displayed in comprehensive tables.