Quadratic fields with infinite Hilbert 2-class field towers (Q4484360)

This article shows that certain sets of quadratic number fields have subsets with positive density that have an infinite Hilbert 2-class field tower. More precisely, for imaginary quadratic fields, this is shown to be true when the 2-rank of the class group is 3 and the 4-rank is any of 1, 2 or 3. It is also shown to be true when the 2-rank of the class group is 4 and the 4-rank is any of 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4. For real quadratic fields, this is shown to be true when the 2-rank of the class group is 4 and the 4-rank is any of 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4. It is also shown to be true when the 2-rank of the class group is 5 and the 4-rank is any of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5. To ensure that the Hilbert 2-class field tower is infinite a result of \textit{F. Hajir} [Pac. J. Math. 176, No. 1, 15--18 (1996; Zbl 0879.11066)] is used in the imaginary case and a result that appears in the book of \textit{J. W. S. Cassels} and \textit{A. Fröhlich} (ed.) [Algebraic number theory, 2nd printing (London: Academic Press) (1987; Zbl 0645.12001), p. 233] is used in the real case.