Extensions of local fields given by 3-term Eisenstein polynomials (Q2161348)

Let \(K\) be a finite extension of \(\mathbb{Q}_p\) and let \(L/K\) be a totally ramified extension of degree \(p^k\). Let \(v_K\) (resp. \(v_L\)) be the (normalized) \(p\)-adic valuation of \(K\) (resp. \(L\)) and let \(\pi_K\) (resp. \(\pi_L\)) be a uniformizer, so that \((\pi_L)=(\pi_K)^{p^k}\mathcal{O}_L\). Let \(i_j\), with \(0\leqslant j\leqslant k\), be the indices of inseparability of \(\pi_L\) (with respect to its minimal Eisenstein polynomial) as defined in \textit{V. Heiermann} [J. Number Theory 59, No. 1, 159--202 (1996: Zbl 0876.11053)]; the paper deals with extensions \(L/K\) with exactly two distinct indices of inseparability. The authors show that the hypotheses yield \(i_k=0\), \(i_0=\dots=i_{k-1}=p^kA_0-b_0\) for some \(1\leqslant A_0\leqslant v_K(p)\) and \(1\leqslant b_0 < p^k\) with \((b_0,p)=1\) (outside these bounds one gets at least 3 different indices), and say that a polynomial \(f\) is in \textit{standard form} when \[ f=X^{p^k}+(-1)^{b_0}\omega \pi_K^{A_0}X^{p^k-b_0}+(-1)^{p^k}a\pi_K \] for some \(a\in 1+\pi_K \mathcal{O}_K\) and \(\omega\) in a set of Teichmüller representatives for \(K\). The main theorem shows a bijection between Eisenstein polynomials in standard form and isomorphism classes of totally ramified extensions of degree \(p^k\) with exactly 2 distinct inseparability indices, thus providing a complete characterization of such extensions. The authors use perturbation theorems from [the second author, J. Théor. Nombres Bordx. 30, No. 2, 681--694 (2018: Zbl 1441.11294)] and an inductive procedure to prove that every Eisenstein polynomial of degree \(p^k\) with 2 inseparability indices is \(p\)-adically close to a polynomial in standard form, hence they generate the same extension. Uniqueness is guaranteed up to the choice of \(\pi_K\) and of certain sets of representatives for cosets in \(\mathcal{O}_K/(\pi_K)\). In the final sections, the authors compute the splitting field of polynomials in standard form, thus characterizing the Galois totally ramified \(p^k\)-extensions with 2 indices of inseparability (which all have Galois group isomorphic to \(\left(\mathbb{Z}/(p)\right)^k\,\)), and also provide some examples for extensions with at least 3 distinct indices of inseparability, showing that a direct generalization of the main theorem does not hold in that setting.