Covering a semi-direct product and intersective polynomials (Q309283)

A monic polynomial with integer coefficients is called intersective if it has no rational roots but has a root modulo every positive integer. In the paper under review, the authors determine the values of the integer \(a\) for which the polynomial \(P(X)=(X^{2^e}-a)(X^2+1)(X^{2^{e-1}}+a)\) is intersective. To this end, they characterize when the polynomial \(X^{2^e}-a\) is irreducible and has Galois group \(G \simeq \mathbb{Z}/2^e \mathbb{Z} \rtimes (\mathbb{Z}/2^e \mathbb{Z})^{\ast}\) by using a result in [\textit{E. T. Jacobson} and \textit{W. Y. Vélez}, Manuscr. Math. 67, No. 3, 271--284 (1990; Zbl 0717.12002)]. They find a 3-cover of the group \(G\), i.e., a set of three proper subgroups of \(G\) the union of whose conjugates equals \(G\) and whose intersection is trivial. The factors of the polynomial \(P\) are the defining polynomials of the subfields of a splitting field of \(X^{2^e}-a\) fixed by these three proper subgroups of \(G\). The result follows applying \textit{J. Sonn}'s method in [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 136, No. 6, 1955--1960 (2008; Zbl 1195.12007)].