Generators for extensions of valuation rings (Q7007213)

Given a valued field \((K,v)\), \(\mathcal O_K\) denotes its valuation ring; \((L/K,v)\) denotes a simple algebraic extension of valuated fields. If the ramification index is 1, then for every sequence of key polynomicals one can naturally construct a set of generators for the extension \(\mathcal O_L\) over \(\mathcal O_K\). The main goal of this paper is to describe possible sets of \(\mathcal O_L\) as an \(\mathcal O_K\)-algebra or as an \(\mathcal O_K\)-module.\N\NThe main result generalizes a result from a joint paper of the author with \textit{M. Spivakovsky} [``Kähler differentials, pure extensions and minimal key polynomials'', Preprint, \url{arXiv:2311.14322}]: Theorem 1.1 Let \((L/K, v)\) be a simple algebraic extension of valued fields. Assuming that the initial index and the ramification index are the same, i.e. \(\epsilon(L/K,v)=e(L/K,v)\), given any complete set \(\{Q_i(\eta)\}_{i\in I}\) for \((L/K,v)\), then, for each \(\lambda\in \mathbb{N}_0^I\), there exists \(a_\lambda\in K\), such that \(\mathcal O_L\) is generated by \(\{Q(\eta)^\lambda/a_\lambda\mid \lambda\in \mathbb{N}_0^I\}\). The main concepts are that of key polynomials and the defect \(d\) (formula). Knaf proved that if \(\mathcal O_L\) is essentially finitely generated over \(\mathcal O_K\), then \(e(L/K,v)=\epsilon(L/K,v)\) and \(d(L/K,v)=1\) and conjectured that the converse is also true.\N\NThis author uses his main result to prove Knaf's conjecture for pure extensions. The conjecture was proved by \textit{R. Datta} [Math. Nachr. 296, No. 3, 1041--1055 (2023; Zbl 1533.13024)] in full generality (the publication year is 2023, not 2021 as referenced in the paper under review).