Constructing monogenic Hopf algebras over \(p\)-adic rings of integers (Q1895586)

Let \(R\) be the ring of integers and \(k\) be the residue field of a finite extension \(K\) of the field of \(p\)-adic numbers; and let \(\overline {K}\) be the algebraic closure of \(K\). The author uses clever, but straightforward, arguments based on the bijection between finite and cocommutative Hopf algebras over \(k\) and finite abelian groups with continuous action by the absolute Galois group of \(k\) to show that any abelian \(p\)-group with no more than \(p - 2\) generators is the group of algebra homomorphisms of a cocommutative \(R\)-Hopf algebra, which is a proper homomorphic image of the polynomial ring \(R[x]\), into \(\overline {K}\). The problem of realizing finite abelian \(p\)-groups as the ``group of points'' of an \(R\)-Hopf algebra arose in a recent paper by \textit{L. N. Childs} and \textit{K. Zimmermann} [J. Algebra 170, No. 3, 929-955 (1994)], where the Hopf algebras are constructed from formal groups of dimension one when the absolute ramification index of \(R\) is not too small. By more sophisticated arguments, the author shows that any abelian \(p\)-group generated by no more than \(p-1\) elements is the group of points of an \(R\)-Hopf algebra which is still monogenic, but possibly not cocommutative; and he gives examples of finite abelian \(p\)-groups which cannot be the group of points of any finite, monogenic \(R\)-Hopf algebra.