The Cohen-Lenstra heuristic: methodology and results (Q975100)

\textit{H. Cohen} and \textit{H. W. Lenstra} jun. conjectured that the sequence of class groups of quadratic number fields behaves like a random sequence with respect to a certain probability distribution on the space of all finite abelian groups [Number theory, Proc. Journ. arith., Noodwijkerhout/Neth. 1983, Lect. Notes Math. 1068, 33--62 (1984; Zbl 0558.12002)]. This probability distribution is based on the heuristic that probability for a group to occur should be inverse proportional to the number of its automorphisms. On the other hand, group theorists have studied a probability measure on the set of all partitions induced by the probability that a randomly chosen \(n\times n\)-matrix over \({\mathbb F}_p\) is contained in a conjugacy class associated with these partitions, for \(n\to\infty\). The two probability measures are connected to each other. The author gives an overview of the state of art.