Perfect forms and the Vandiver conjecture (Q4933682)

Let \(p\) be an odd prime, \(C\) the \(p\)-Sylow subgroup of the class group of \(Q(\root p\of{1})\), and \(C^{(i)}\) the subgroup of \(C\) where the Galois group of \(\mathbb{Q}(\root p\of{1})\) over \(\mathbb{Q}\) acts by the \(i\)th power of the Teichmüller character. We show that, when \(n\) is odd and positive, \[ C^{(p-n)} = 0\text{ if }\log p > n^{224n^4}. \] The proof consists mainly in bounding explicitly the order of the torsion subgroup of the higher algebraic \(K\)-groups of \(\mathbb{Z}\). Vandiver's conjecture says that \(C^{(i)}\) vanishes for all even values of \(i\). \textit{M. Kurihara} proved in [Compos. Math. 81, 223-236 (1992; Zbl 0747.11055)] that \(C^{(p-3)}=0\). His proof uses the existence of a surjective map \(K_{2n-2}(\mathbb{Z})\to C^{(p-n)}\bigotimes_\mathbb{Z} \mathbb{Z}/p\) and the fact that \(K_4(\mathbb{Z})\) is not too big. Here \(K_m(\mathbb{Z})\) is the \(m\)th algebraic \(K\)-group of the ring of integers, \(m > 0\). Since \(K_m(\mathbb{Z})\) is finite unless \(m-1\) is positive and divisible by four, for a fixed value of \(n\) there are only finitely many \(p\) with \(C^{(p-n)}\neq 0\).