On Hilbert 2-class fields and 2-towers of imaginary quadratic number fields (Q897559)

Let \(K\) be a number field, let \(p\) be a prime number and let \(K_{(p)}^1\) be the Hilbert \(p\)-class field of \(K\). For a positive integer \(n\) one defines inductively \(K_{(p)}^n=(K_{(p)}^{n-1})_{(p)}^1\) and the \(p\)-class field tower \(K_{(p)}^\infty=\bigcup_{n\in\mathbb N} K_{(p)}^n\), which might be a finite or infinite extension of \(K\), depending on the choices of \(K\) and \(p\). \textit{E. S. Golod} and \textit{I. R. Shafarevich} [Izv. Akad. Nauk SSSR, Ser. Mat. 28, 261--272 (1964; Zbl 0136.02602)] proved that if the \(p\)-class field tower of \(K\) is finite, then the \(p\)-rank of the ideal class group of \(K\) is bounded by a number depending on the \(p\)-rank of the units in the ring of integers of \(K\). In particular, it follows that if the \(2\)-rank of the ideal class group of an imaginary quadratic field \(K\) is at least \(5\), then the \(2\)-class field tower must be infinite. \textit{J. Martinet} [Invent. Math. 44, 65--73 (1978; Zbl 0369.12007)] asked whether the same is true if the \(2\)-rank of the ideal class group is only \(4\). The problem has been studied by different authors (in particular Benjamin, Sueyoshi and Mouhib), always answering the question positively in some special cases. In the paper under review, the author continues these studies considering many open cases when the \(4\)-rank of the ideal class group of \(K\) is \(0\) or \(2\). The main idea of the proofs is to apply the Golod-Shafarevich bound [loc. cit.] combined with results from genus theory to some unramified extensions of \(K\) and finally deduce that \(K\) itself must have an infinite \(2\)-class field tower. All the results are also illustrated by some numerical examples.