Deconstruction of a Dirichlet-Nazimow formula (Q542064)

Dirichlet's formula for the class number \(h\) of real quadratic fields \(K\) is a formula that expresses \(\varepsilon^h\), where \(\varepsilon\) is the fundamental unit of \(K\), as a product over certain values of the sine function, which in turn allows an interpretation as a norm of cyclotomic units. \textit{P. G. L. Dirichlet} [J. Reine Angew. Math. 24, 291--371 (1842; ERAM 024.0732cj)] claimed that there exists an analogous formula for quadratic extensions of the field \({\mathbb Q}(i)\). This idea was subsequently developed by \textit{P. Bachmann} [Math. Ann. 16, 537--550 (1880; JFM 12.0126.01)] and \textit{P. Nazimow} (Nasimoff) [Ann. Sci. Éc. Norm. Supér. (3) 5, 23--48 (1888); 5, 147--176 (1888; JFM 20.0476.01)], and is nowadays part of the theory of complex multiplication. In this article, the authors study Nazimow's contribution in the context of class field theory and prove the class number formula for quadratic extensions \(K\) of \({\mathbb Q}(i)\), which shows that a certain power of the fundamental unit of \(K\) can be written as a product of certain values of the lemniscatic sine function.