On the implicit constant fields and key polynomials for valuation algebraic extensions (Q2108566)

In this paper, \(K\) is a field, \(X\) is an indeterminate and \(v\) is a valuation on some algebraic closure \(\overline{K(X)}\) of \(K(X)\). The implicit constant field of the extension \((K(X)|K,v)\) is the field \(\overline{K}\cap K(X)^h\), where \(K^h\) is the Hensel closure of \((K,v)\), i.e.\ the unique (up to isomorphism) minimal algebraic extension such that the valuation extends in a unique way to every algebraic extension of \(K^h\). The author assumes that the extension \((K(X)|K,v)\) is valuation algebraic, that is the valuation group \(vK(X)\) is rational over \(vK\) and the residue field \(K(X)v\) is algebraic over \(Kv\). He defines two sequences \((a_{\nu})_{\nu<\lambda}\) and \((b_{\nu})_{\nu<\lambda}\), and in its first main result he proves that \(K(b_{\nu}\, :\, \nu<\lambda)^h\subseteq \overline{K}\cap K(X)^h\subseteq K(a_{\nu}\, :\, \nu<\lambda)^h\). The second main result shows that the sequence \((a_{\nu})_{\nu<\lambda}\) is related to key polynomials. We now give more details. For every monic polynomial \(Q\) in \(\overline{K}[X]\) and \(\gamma\geq vQ\) in \(v\left(\overline{K[X]}\right)\) one can define a mapping \(v_{Q,\gamma}\) as follows. Every \(f\in\overline{K}[X]\) can be written in a unique way as \(f=f_0+f_1Q+\cdots+f_nQ^n\), where \(n\) is a non negative integer, and \(f_0,\dots,f_n\) belong to \(\overline{K}[X]\) with degrees less than the degree of \(Q\). Then we let \(v_{Q,\gamma}(f)=\min \{ v(f_0), v(f_1)+\gamma,\dots,v(f_n)+n\gamma\}\). If \(\gamma=vQ\) we can write \(v_Q\) instead of \(v_{Q,\gamma}\). If there is \(a\in \overline{K}\) such that \(v_{X-a,\gamma}=v_{Q,\gamma}\), then for every \(a'\in \overline{K}\) we have: \(v_{X-a',\gamma}=v_{Q,\gamma}\Leftrightarrow v(a-a')\geq \gamma\). If this holds, then the pair \((a,\gamma)\) is called a pair of definition for \(v_{Q,\gamma}\). It is a minimal pair if in addition, for every \(a'\in\overline{K}\), \(v(a-a')\geq \gamma\Rightarrow [K(a'):K]\geq [K(a):K]\). Since the extension \((K(X)|K,v)\) is valuation algebraic, the ordered set \(v(X-\overline{K})\) does not admit a maximum. The author takes a cofinal well-ordered subset \(\{\delta_{\nu}\}_{\nu < \lambda}\) of \(v(X-\overline{K})\), where \(\lambda\) is some limit ordinal, and the smallest index is \(1\). For every \(\nu<\lambda\) he takes some \(d_{\nu}\) in \(\overline{K}\) such that \(v(X-d_{\nu})=\delta_{\nu}\). An important tool in his results is the pair of sequences \((a_{\nu})_{\nu<\lambda}\) and \((\gamma_{\nu})_{\nu<\lambda}\), where, for every \(\nu<\lambda\), \(\gamma_{\nu}=v(X-a_{\nu})\) and \(a_{\nu}\) is defined as follows. Let \(\nu<\lambda\). If \(\nu=1\), set \(\mu=1\). Otherwise assume that \(a_{\nu-1}\) is defined and let \(\mu\) be the smallest index such that \(\gamma_{\nu-1}<\delta_{\mu}\). By properties of valuations, there exists \(a_{\nu}\) in \(\overline{K}\) such that \(v(X-a_{\nu})\geq \delta_{\mu}\), the pair \((a_{\nu},v(a_{\nu}))\) is a minimal pair of definition for \(v_{X-a_{\nu}}\), and for every conjugate \(\sigma a_{\nu}\) of \(a_{\nu}\) we have \(v(X-a_{\nu})\geq v(X-\sigma a_{\nu})\). Let \(K^r\) be the absolute ramification field \((K,v)\) (the fixed field of the subgroup of elements \(\sigma\) of the absolute Galois group of \(K(X)\) such that for every nonzero \(x\in K(x)\), \(v(x)\geq 0\Rightarrow v\left(\frac{v(x)}{x}-1\right)>0\)). For every \(\nu<\lambda\) the author lets \(b_{\nu}\) be an element of \(\overline{K}\) such that \(K(b_{\nu})=K(a_{\nu})\cap K^r\). We turn to the second main result. A monic polynomial \(Q\in K[X]\) is a key polynomial if for every \(f\in K[X]\) with degree less than the degree of \(Q\) we have \(\delta(f)<\delta(Q)\), where \(\delta(Q)\) is the maximum of \(\{v(X-a)\; :\; a\in \overline{K},\; Q(a)=0\}\). For every \(\nu<\lambda\) let \(Q_{\nu}(X)\) be the minimal polynomial of \(a_{\nu}\) over \(K\). The author proves that the family \(\{Q_{\nu}(X)\}_{\nu<\lambda}\) is a complete sequence of key polynomials for \(\nu\) over \(K\), that is \(\nu<\nu'<\lambda\Rightarrow \delta(Q_{\nu})<\delta(Q_{\nu'})\), and for every \(f\in K[X]\) there is \(\nu<\lambda\) such that \(v(f)=v_{Q_{\nu}}(f)\).