Leopoldt's conjecture and Reiner's theorem (Q790176)

Let \(k\) be a finite algebraic number field and let \(p\) be a prime number. Let \(E_ k\) be the group of units of \(k\) which are principal at each place \(\nu\) above \(p\) and let \(\bar E_ k\) be the closure of \(p\) in the product \(\prod U_{\nu}^{(1)}\) of the groups of local principal units above \(p\). Leopoldt's conjecture is that the \(\mathbb Z\)-rank of \(E_ k\) is the same as the \(\mathbb Z_ p\)-rank of \(\bar E_ k\). The authors confirm the conjecture where \(k/\ell\) is a cyclic extension of degree \(p\) satisfying some further conditions. The method of proof is to consider the Galois group \(X^*_ k\) of the composite of all \(\mathbb Z_ p\)-extensions of \(k\) as a \(\mathbb Z_ p[\mathrm{Gal}(k/\ell)]\)-module. The structure of such modules in general is given by Reiner's theorem, which allows the determination of \(X^*_ k\).