Index-modules and applications (Q644994)

Let \(K\) be a field, \(A\subseteq K\) a Dedekind domain, and \(V\) a \(K\)--vector space. The author defines the \textit{\(A\)--index--module} \([R:S]^{\prime}_A\) for two \(A\)--lattices \(R\neq 0\) and \(S\) of \(V\) by \[ [R:S]^{\prime}_A:=\{\det(u)\mid u\in\roman{End}_K(V^{\prime}) \text{\;and\;}u(R)\subseteq S\}, \] where \(V^{\prime}\) is the \(K\)--subspace of \(V\) generated by \(R\) and \(S\). After studying the basic properties of the index--modules, it is shown that this notion recovers others. If \(K\) is the field of fractions of \(A\) and \(\langle R\rangle_K=\langle S\rangle_K=V\), where \(\langle T\rangle_L\) is the subspace generated by the lattice \(T\), then \([R:S]^{\prime}_A\) is equal to the ``relative invariant'' \(\chi(S,R)\) defined in [\textit{N. Bourbaki}, Éléments de mathématiques. Actualités Scientifiques et Industrielles. 1314. Paris: Hermann (1965; Zbl 0141.03501)]. This is Proposition 2.8. The generalized index defined by \textit{W. Sinnott} [Invent. Math. 62, 181--234 (1980; Zbl 0465.12001)] is a consequence of Proposition 2.2. When \(S\subseteq R\), \([R:S]^{\prime}_A\) is equal to the Fitting ideal of \(R/S\) (Theorem 2.1). Finally, the index--module is used to prove a weak form of the Grass conjecture in positive characteristic (Theorem 3.1). Let \(F/k\) be a finite abelian extension of global function fields with Galois group \(G\) and degree \(g\). Let \(\infty\) be a place of \(k\) that splits fully in \(F/k\). Let \({\mathcal O}_k\) (resp. \({\mathcal O}_F\)) be the ring of functions of \(k\) (resp. \(F\)) which are regular outside \(\infty\) (resp. the primes above \(\infty\)). One may use Stark units to define a subgroup \({\mathcal E}_F\) of \({\mathcal O}_F^{\ast}\), the group of units of \({\mathcal O}_F\). Using the notion of index--module, the author proves that for every nontrivial rational character \(\psi\) of \(G\), the \(\psi\)--part of \({\mathbb Z}_{ \langle g\rangle}\otimes_{\mathbb Z}\big({\mathcal O}_F^{\ast}/{\mathcal E}_F \big)\) and the \(\psi\)--part of \({\mathbb Z}_{\langle g\rangle} \otimes_{ \mathbb Z} Cl({\mathcal O}_F)\) have the same order, where \({\mathbb Z}_{ \langle g\rangle}:={\mathbb Z}[g^{-1}]\) and \(Cl({\mathcal O}_F)\) is the ideal class group of \({\mathcal O}_F\).