On circular units over the cyclotomic \(\mathbb Z_p\)-extension of an abelian field (Q706162)

Let \(F\) be an abelian number field. \textit{W. Sinnott} [Invent. Math. 62, 181--234 (1980; Zbl 0465.12001)] and the reviewer [Introduction to Cyclotomic Fields, Graduate Texts in Mathematics, Springer Verlag, 2nd edition, (1987; Zbl 0966.11047)] defined groups of cyclotomic units for \(F\), denoted \(C_F^s\) and \(C_F^w\), respectively. Both groups are of finite index in the group of units of \(F\) and \(C_F^s\subseteq C_F^w\). Let \(K_{\infty}/K\) be the cyclotomic \(\mathbb Z_p\)-extension of an abelian number field \(K\) and let \(K_n\) denote the \(n\)th intermediate field. Let \(C_{\infty}^s\) be the inverse limit of \(C_{K_n}^s\otimes \mathbb Z_p\) with respect to the norm maps, and define \(C_{\infty}^w\) similarly. It was proved by \textit{R. Kučera} and \textit{J. Nekovár} [J. Algebra 171, 457--472 (1995; Zbl 0824.11071)] that the index \([C_{K_n}^w:C_{K_n}^s]\) is bounded independently of \(n\), and M. Kolster asked whether \(C_{\infty}^s=C_{\infty}^w\). The present paper shows that if the Sylow \(p\)-subgroup of Gal\((K/\mathbb Q)\) is either cyclic or the direct product of the Sylow \(p\)-subgroups of the inertia groups of the finite primes ramifying in \(K/\mathbb Q\), then \(C_{\infty}^s=C_{\infty}^w\). Examples where the two groups are not equal have been given by \textit{J.-R. Belliard} [Number Theory 1998/2001, Besançon, Université de Franche-Comté, Publ. Math, UFR Sci. Tech. Besançon, 12 pp. (2002; Zbl 1161.11394)] and \textit{R. Kučera} [J. Théorie Nombres Bord. 15, No. 1, 223--229 (2003; Zbl 1097.11053)].