Generic extensions and generic polynomials for semidirect products (Q2267453)

Let \(K\) be an infinite field and \(G\) a finite group. In the framework of Inverse Galois Theory, the following question has received some attention: does there exist a generic Galois extension for \(G\) over \(K\)? If `yes', the next relevant matter is to find explicit generic polynomials, as simple as possible. If a semi-direct product \(A\rtimes G\) admits a generic extension over \(K\), then this must also hold for the quotient group \(G\). A natural goal is then to find hypotheses on \(K\) and \(A\) allowing to reverse the above implication. The paper under review presents a new contribution to this problem. The main result states: A generic extension for \(A\rtimes G\) over \(K\) exists provided the following conditions hold: (1) \(G\) is a finite group, \(A\) is a finite abelian group, \(K\) is an infinite field whose characteristic is prime to the order of \(A\); (2) the action of \(G\) on \(A\) is such that, for each \(p\)-Sylow subgroup \(A_p\) of \(A\), the order of the image of \(G\) in \(\Aut(A_p)\) is prime to \(p\); and (3) there exist generic extensions over \(K\) for both \(G\) and \(A\). This theorem generalizes a result of \textit{D. J. Saltman} [Adv. Math. 43, 250--283 (1982; Zbl 0484.12004), Theorem 3.5] where, instead of (2), it was assumed the stronger condition that \(G\) and \(A\) have coprime orders. Saltman also proved [op. cit., Theorem 3.10] a similar result assuming that \(K\) contains enough roots of unity and that \(A\) is a direct sum, as \(G\)-modules, of cyclic groups \(A_i\) of prime power order such that the image of \(G\) in \(\Aut(A_i)\) is cyclic. The author's method, which uses Kummer theory, is constructive. This allows him to obtain bounds on the generic dimension of \(A\rtimes G\) improving on previously known ones. He also constructs generic polynomials for some small groups.