Relative ideal classes of arbitrary order (Q6060206)

The paper introduces a novel technique for identifying relative ideal classes of arbitrary order within distinct types of number fields, specifically chosen for their explicit relative units. While the Brauer-Siegel theorem predicts large class numbers, these techniques offer deeper insights into the arithmetic properties rather than solely providing magnitude information. It's noteworthy that explicit expressions for fundamental units of quadratic subfields are not required for determining the desired relative ideal classes in both their families of sextic and quartic fields. By applying these methods, the paper establishes the existence of infinitely many fields within cyclic sextic and quartic number families containing relative ideal classes of order r, where r is a positive integer relatively prime to the degree of the extension. Additionally, it extends this technique to non-Galois cubic number fields, further demonstrating the versatility of the approach. The methodology involves solving equations derived from minimal polynomials and leveraging congruence conditions to pinpoint ideal classes. However, generating ideal classes with trivial norms down to each proper subfield adds complexity, prompting the utilization of Hilbert's Irreducibility Theorem. This underscores the challenges inherent in achieving comprehensive results. Crucially, the paper's focus lies not merely in presenting examples but rather in introducing a constructive technique. By providing a systematic approach, it offers a recipe for constructing ideal classes with trivial norms down to each proper subfield. This emphasis on constructing ``new'' ideal classes, characterized by their trivial norms, adds depth to the exploration of relative ideal classes.