Explicit class field theory for global function fields (Q1932396)

Let \(F\) be a global field of positive characteristic with field of constants \(k={\mathbb F}_q\). Let \(F^{\mathrm{ab}}\) be the maximal abelian extension of \(F\). In 1974, \textit{D. R. Hayes} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 189, 77--91 (1974; Zbl 0292.12018)] provided an explicit class field theory for rational function fields \(F=k(t)\), using the work of \textit{L. Carlitz} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 43, 167--182 (1938; Zbl 0018.19806)] who had constructed a class of abelian extensions. This is now known as the \textit{Carlitz module} which is the simplest Drinfeld module. \textit{V. G. Drinfeld} [Math. USSR, Sb. 23(1974), 561--592 (1976); translation from Mat. Sb., N. Ser. 94(136), 594--627 (1974; Zbl 0321.14014)] and \textit{D. R. Hayes} [Adv. Math., Suppl. Stud. 6, 173--217 (1979; Zbl 0476.12010)] described explicit class field theory for an arbitrary global function field \(F\). Both constructions start by choosing a place \({\mathfrak p}_{\infty}\) of \(F\) and gave the maximal extension \(K_{{\mathfrak p}_{\infty}}\) of \(F\) where \({\mathfrak p}_{\infty}\), decomposes fully. Then Drinfeld defined a moduli space of rank \(1\) of what he called \textit{elliptic modules} (now called Drinfeld modules) with level structure arising from the finite places of \(F\). On the other hand, Hayes fixed a normalized Drinfeld module \(\phi\) of rank \(1\) whose field of definition along with its torsion points were used to construct \(K_{{\mathfrak p}_{\infty}}\). To compute the full field \(F^{\mathrm{ab}}\) he chose another place \({\mathfrak p}_{\infty}^{\prime} \neq {\mathfrak p}_{\infty}\) and obtained \(F^{\mathrm{ab}}\) is the composite of \(K_{{\mathfrak p}_{\infty}}\) and \(K_{{\mathfrak p}_{\infty}^{\prime}}\). In the paper under review the author gives a version of explicit class field theory that does not require the choice of a second \({\mathfrak p}_{\infty}^{\prime}\). More precisely, let \(\theta_F: C_F\to \mathrm{Gal}(F^{\mathrm{ab}}/F)\) be the Artin map where \(C_F\) is the idele class group of \(F\). Then \(\theta_F\) is a continuous homomorphism. By taking profinite completions, we obtain an isomorphism of topological groups \[ \widehat{\theta_F}: \widehat{C_F}\mathop{\rightarrow}\limits^{\sim} \mathrm{Gal}(F^{\mathrm{ab}}/F). \] In this way \(\theta_F\) provides a one--to--one correspondence between the finite abelian extensions \(L\) of \(F\) and the finite index open subgroups \(U\) of \(C_F\). For a finite abelian extension \(L/F\), the corresponding open subgroup of \(C_F\) is the kernel \(U\) of the homomorphism \[ C_F\mathop{\rightarrow}\limits^{\theta_F}\mathrm{Gal}(F^{\mathrm{ab}}/F) \twoheadrightarrow \mathrm{Gal}(L/F). \] Given \(L\), \(U\) is computable. On the other hand, given \(U\), the Artin map does not give \(L\) explicitly. Explicit class field theory gives \(L\) by means of generators for \(L\) over \(F\). The author gives a construction of \(F^{\mathrm{ab}}\) that produces the inverse of \(\widehat{\theta_F}\). He constructs an isomorphism of topological groups \(\rho: W_F^{\mathrm{ab}}\to C_F\) where \(W_F^{\mathrm{ab}}\) is the subgroup of \(\mathrm{Gal}(F^{\mathrm{ab}}/F)\) that acts on the algebraic closure \(\bar{k}\) of \(k\) as an integral power of the Frobenius map. The inverse of \(\rho\) will be the homomorphism \(\alpha \mapsto \theta_F(\alpha)^{-1}\). For an open subgroup \(U\) of finite index of \(C_F\), the homomorphism \(\rho_U: W_F^{\mathrm{ab}}\rightarrow C_F\twoheadrightarrow C_F/U\) factors through \(\mathrm{Gal}(L_U/F)\) where \(L_U\) is the field corresponding to \(U\). Everything about \(\rho\) is computable and in particular one can find generators for \(L_U\). The author treats the case \(F=k(t)\) in Section 5 and recovers Hayes' description of \(k(t)^{\mathrm{ab}}\) as the composite of three linearly disjoint fields.