Retract rational fields and cyclic Galois extensions (Q798389)

Let \(F\) be a field. A field extension \(K/F\) is retract rational if and only if \(K\) is the quotient field of an \(F\)-algebra domain \(S\) such that there exists a localized polynomial ring \(P = F[x_1,\ldots,x_n](1/w)\) and \(F\)-algebra maps \(Y\colon S\to P\), \(\psi\colon P\to S\) such that \(\psi \circ Y\) is the identity on \(S\). For \(K/F\), rational implies stably rational implies retract rational implies unirational. This extraordinarily rich paper relates retract rationality of field extensions arising from certain generic constructions, to lifting of classes of algebras from residue fields to local rings, both generally and for two special classes of algebras, Galois extensions and Azumaya algebras. Let \((T,M,K)\) denote a local ring \(T\) with maximal ideal \(M\) and residue field \(T/M=K\), containing \(F\). The author considers lifting of \(G\)-Galois extensions of \(K\), \(G\) a finite group, and obtains the following: For \(V\) a \(G\)-module which is a finite dimensional vector space over \(F\) such that the map from \(G\) to \(End_F(V)\) is \(1-1\), let \(F_t(V)\) be the symmetric algebra on \(V\), \(F_t(V)\) be the quotient field. Then \(F_t(V)^G\) is retract rational over \(F\) if and only if for all \((T,M,K)\) any \(G\)-Galois extension \(L/K\) lifts to a \(G\)-Galois extension \(S/T\) with \(S\otimes_TK=L\). As examples, the author proves: (*) If \(G\) is finite abelian of exponent \(2^rm\), \(m\) odd, then \(F_t(V)^G/F\) is retract rational if and only if \(F(\rho)/F\) is cyclic, where \(\rho\) is a primitive \(2^r\)-th root of unity, or \(F\) has characteristic 2. Moreover, if \(\mathrm{Gal}(F(\rho)/F)=H\) is not cyclic and \(A\) is any finite abelian group containing a cyclic group of order \(2^r\), then there exists \((T,M,K)\) and an \(A\)-Galois extension \(L/K\) which does not lift to \(T\). The author also considers lifting Azumaya \(K\)-algebras of certain types. To do this he considers function fields of algebraic tori, \(Q(L/K,N)\), defined as follows: \(G\) is a finite group, \(N\) is a \(G\)-module which is a finitely generated free \(\mathbb Z\)-module, \(L/F\) a Galois extension with group \(G\), \(L[N]\) the group algebra, then \(Q(L/F,N)=L[N]^G\). These fields have been studied recently by \textit{J.-L. Colliot-Thélène} and \textit{J.-J. Sansuc} [Ann. Sci. Éc. Norm. Supér. IV. Sér. 10, 175--229 (1977; Zbl 0356.14007)]. The author defines a certain \(N=M_2(G)\) generated by images of ``general'' 2-cocycle. Then for all local algebras \((T,M,K)\) and all \(G\)-Galois extensions \(S/T\), the map on relative Brauer groups \(\mathrm{Br}(S/T)\to \mathrm{Br}((S/MS)/K)\) is surjective if and only if \(Q(L/F, M_2(G))\) is retract rational, if and only if all the Sylow subgroups of \(G\) are cyclic. This is based on a general criterion for retract rationality of \(Q(L/F,N)\). The author is also interested in the center \(Z(F,n,r)\) of the generic division algebra \(\mathrm{UD}(F,n,r)\). He shows \(Z(F,n,r)\) is retract rational if and only if for all \((T,M,K)\) and every central simple \(K\)-algebra \(A\) of degree \(n\), there exists an Azumaya \(T\)-algebra \(B\) such that \(B\otimes_T K=A\). Using this, he shows that \(Z(F,p,r)\) is retract rational for \(p\) prime. This is obtained by using the fact that \(F_t(V)^{S_p}/F\) is rational for \(S_p\) the symmetric group, hence given \((T,M,K)\), \(S_p\)-Galois extensions \(L/K\) lift, hence crossed products lift. This last argument illustrates a recurring theme of the paper, namely, that lifting problems for Azumaya algebras and for Galois extensions are closely related. This is explicitly shown in section 4 of this paper, where the author studies liftings of Galois extensions of order \(q\), where \(q=2^r\). Let \(F'=F(\rho)\) where \(\rho\) is a primitive \(q\)-th root of unity, let \(H=\mathrm{Gal}(F'/F)\), \(C_q= \) cyclic group of order \(q\). Given \((T,M,K)\), let \(T'=T\otimes_FF', K'=K\otimes_FF'\). Then (**) a given \(C_q\)-Galois extension \(L/K\) lifts to \(S/T\) if and only if a certain corresponding crossed product \(A=D(K'/K, H,c)\) lifts to a crossed product over \(T\). A related approximation result is the following: let \(K\) be a field with valuations \(v_1,\ldots,v_n\), \(L_i/K C_q\)-Galois extensions, \(A_i\) the corresponding crossed products. Then there is a \(C_q\)-Galois extension \(L/K\) with \(L_i=L\otimes_KK_i\) for all \(i\) if and only if there is a crossed product \(A=D(K'/K,H,c)\) with \(A\otimes_KK_i=A_i\). This connection between Azumaya algebras and Galois extensions reduces the Grunwald-Wang theorem to a straightforward computation of Hasse invariants of abelian crossed products. The results (*) are also obtained by relating lifting for \(G\)-Galois extensions to lifting for crossed products, using (**), and then applying the theory developed for \(Q(F(\rho)/F, M_ 2(H))\), \(H=\mathrm{Gal}(F(\rho)F)\) to solve the problem of lifting crossed products. The author's results on relating retract rationality and lifting are formulated in quite general setting, involving modules with linear structure, called \(F\)-classes. An \(F\)-class \(\mathcal C\) consists of objects \(\mathcal M/R\), consisting of a commutative \(F\)-algebra \(R\), an \(R\)-module \(M\), and multilinear maps of specified types on \(M\). An \(F\)-class has the lifting property if for all \((T,M,K)\), any \(\mathcal M/K\) in the class lifts to \(\mathcal M'/T\). The author defines representing, densely representing and local projective objects in an \(F\)-class, and proves the general result that if \(\mathcal M/R\) is densely representing for \(\mathcal C\) and is locally projective, then the class has the lifting property if and only if the quotient field of \(F\) is retract rational. This theorem underlines the results in this paper and also the result of the author's sequel [Invent. Math. 77, 71--84 (1984; Zbl 0546.14014)].