Indices of inseparability in towers of field extensions (Q2253876)

Let \(K\) be a local field whose residue field has characteristic \(p\) and let \(L/K\) be a finite separable totally ramified extension of degree \(ap^\nu\). The indices of inseparability \(i_0, i_1, \cdots, i_\nu\) of \(L/K\) were defined by \textit{M. Fried} [Acta Arith. 25, 225--258 (1974; Zbl 0229.12020)] in the case \(\mathrm{char}(K)= p\) and by \textit{V. Heiermann} [J. Number Theory 59, No. 1, 159--202 (1996; Zbl 0876.11053)] in the case \(\mathrm{char}(K)=0\). They gave a refinement of the usual ramification data for \(L/K\). The indices of inseparability can be used to construct ``generalized Hasse-Herbrand functions'' \(\phi_{L/K}^j\) for \(0\leq j\leq \nu\). In the paper under review, the author gives an interpretation of the values \(\phi_{L/K}^j(c)\) for nonnegative integers \(c\) and uses this interpretation to study the behavior of generalized Hasse-Herbrand functions in towers of field extensions.