An inequality relating the regulator and the discriminant of a number field (Q800969)

Let K be a number field of degree d with regulator R and absolute discriminant D. Let \(r=r(K)\) be the rank of the unit group in K, and let \(\rho\) be the maximum of r(k) as k ranges over proper subfields of K. It is proved that \(R>c_ d (\log (\gamma_ dD))^{r-\rho}\) for positive constants \(c_ d,\gamma_ d\) depending only on d. The proof is simple but interesting. The author makes the plausible conjecture that the exponent r-\(\rho\) is best possible. There are a few annoying misprints. E.g., in the definition of \(\alpha\) (j) on p. 440 inequality should be replaced by equality.