Fitting ideals of Iwasawa modules and of the dual of class groups (Q2396580)

This is a sequel to previous work of the authors [Tokyo J. Math. 34, No. 2, 407--428 (2011; Zbl 1270.11117); Math. Z. 246, No. 4, 733--767 (2004; Zbl 1067.11067)] on the subject mentioned in the title. Let $L/k$ be a finite abelian extension of totally real number fields. Fix an odd prime $p$ and denote by $k_\infty/k$, $L_\infty/L$ the cyclotomic $\mathbb{Z}_p$-extensions. Suppose that $L\cap k_\infty=k$. Let $S$ be a finite set of primes of $k$, containing all ramifying primes in $L_\infty$ (so $S$ automatically contains the set $S_p$ of primes above $p$). Let $\mathcal X_L$ (resp. $X_L$) be the $S$-ramified (resp. $S_p$-ramified) Iwasawa module above $L_\infty$. The Main Conjecture proved by Wiles roughly states that for any character $\chi$ of $\mathrm{Gal}(L/k)$, the characteristic ideal of the $\chi$-quotient of $\mathcal{X}_L$ generated by the $\chi$-component of the $S$-truncated p-adic $L$-function $\Theta_{L_\infty/k}$ is contained in the Fitting ideal of the $\Lambda_L$-module $\mathcal{X}_L$, where $\Lambda_L=\mathbb{Z}_p[[\mathrm{Gal}(L_\infty/k)]]$. The authors can give a more precise link: assuming the vanishing of the $\mu$-invariant of $\mathcal{X}_L$, they show that $\mathrm{Fitt}_{\Lambda_L}(\mathcal{X}_L)=T^{-1}\mathfrak{A}_{L/k}\Theta_{L_\infty/k}$, where $T=\gamma-1$ is the usual variable (with a generates topological generator $\gamma$ of $\mathrm{Gal}(L_\infty/L)$) and $\mathfrak{A}_{L/k}$ is the Fitting ideal of a certain second syzygy module, determined only by the $p$-Sylow subgroup of $\mathrm{Gal}(L/k)$. \par From now on, suppose further that $S$ is minimal, i.e. $S=\mathrm{Ram}(L_\infty/k)$. In relationship with the classical Main Conjecture, the authors naturally ask whether the $S$-truncated $p$-adic $L$-function $\Theta_{L_\infty/k}$ lies in the Fitting ideal of the $\Lambda_L$-module $\mathcal{X}_L$. The answer is ``no'' if the $p$-component of $\mathrm{Gal}(L/k)$ is not cyclic. More precisely, let $K/k$ be a subextension of $L/k$ such that $K\subset k(\mu_p)^+$ and $\mathrm{Gal}(L/K)\cong(\mathbb{Z}/p\mathbb{Z})^s$. Assume the vanishing of the $\mu$-invariant of $\mathcal{X}_L$ as well as one of the following conditions: (i) $s=2$ and $L_\infty/K_\infty$ is $p$-ramified; (ii) $s=3$ and $L_\infty/K_\infty$ contains a $p$-ramified intermediate field $L''_\infty$ such that $[L''_\infty:K_\infty]=p$; (iii) $s\geq 4$. Then $(\gamma-1)\Theta_{L_\infty/k}\notin\mathrm{Fitt}_{\Lambda_L}(X_L)$. Under exactly the same conditions, but supposing that $K=k(\mu_p)$ instead of $K\subset k(\mu_p)^+$, and that $L$ is CM instead of $L$ is totally real, one has $(\gamma-\kappa(\gamma))\theta_{L_\infty/k}\notin\mathrm{Fitt}\Lambda_L (A^\vee_{L_\infty})$, where $A_{L_\infty}$ (resp. $\theta_{L_\infty/k}$) is the direct (resp. inverse) limit of the $p$-class groups (resp. of the Stickelberger elements) of the layers $L_n$.