HT90 and ``simplest number fields

Publication date 9 August 2013

Published in Illinois Journal of Mathematics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/1207.6099, https://projecteuclid.org/euclid.ijm/1373636699

Polynomials (irreducibility, etc.) (11R09) Quadratic extensions (11R11) Special polynomials in general fields (12E10) Separable extensions, Galois theory (12F10) Inverse Galois theory (12F12)

Abstract: A standard formula (1) leads to a proof of HT90, but requires proving the existence of

h e t a

such that

a l p h a e 0

, so that

. We instead impose the condition (M), that taking

h e t a = 1

makes

a l p h a = 0

. Taking

n = 3

, we recover Shanks's simplest cubic fields. The "simplest" number fields of degrees 3 to 6, Washington's cyclic quartic fields, and a certain family of totally real cyclic extensions of

Q (c o s (p i / 4 m))

all have defining polynomials whose zeroes satisfy eqref{e:M}. Further investigation of (M) for

n = 4

leads to an elementary algebraic construction of a 2-parameter family of octic polynomials with "generic" Galois group

_{8} T_{11}

. Imposing an additional algebraic condition on these octics produces a new family of cyclic quartic extensions. This family includes the "simplest" quartic fields and Washington's cyclic quartic fields as special cases. We obtain more detailed results on our octics when the parameters are algebraic integers in a number field. In particular, we identify certain sets of special units, including exceptional sequences of 3 units, and give some of their properties.

Review text

Let \(L/k\) be a cyclic extension of degree \(n\) with Galois group \(\langle\sigma\rangle\). Hilbert's Theorem 90 characterizes elements of norm \(1: N_{L/K}(\beta)= 1\) if and only if there exists \(\alpha\in L\) such that \(\beta= \alpha/\sigma(\alpha)\). The usual proof uses the formula NEWLINE\[NEWLINE\alpha= \theta+ \sigma(\theta)\beta+ \sigma^2(\theta)\beta\sigma(\beta)+\cdots+ \sigma^{n-1}(\theta) \beta\sigma(\beta)\cdots \sigma^{n-2}(\beta).NEWLINE\]NEWLINE If \(N_{L/K}(\beta)= 1\), this formula makes \(\beta= \alpha/\sigma(\alpha)\) a formal identity, but we need Artin's theorem on characters to prove that \(\alpha\neq 0\) for some \(\theta\in L\). Instead of this, the author imposes here ``the Murphy condition (M) that taking \(\theta=1\) makes \(\alpha= 0\): NEWLINE\[NEWLINE1+ r+ r\sigma(r)+\cdots+ r\sigma^{n-1}(r)\cdots\sigma^{n-2}= 0;\tag{M}NEWLINE\]NEWLINE then \(N_{L/k}= 1\). He proves that for \(n\geq 3\), there is a primitive element \(r\) of \(L\) over \(k\) for which (M) holds. Unfortunately, (M) alone does not force cyclic extensions. When \(n= 3\), (M) leads to a defining polynomial of the form NEWLINE\[NEWLINEP(X)= X^3- AX^2- (A+3) X-1NEWLINE\]NEWLINE for some \(A\in k\). \textit{D. Shanks} called the fields defined by a \(P(X)\) with \(A\in\mathbb Z\) the ``simplest cubic fields [Math. Comput. 28, 1137--1152 (1974; Zbl 0307.12005)]. Certain families of cyclic number fields of degrees 4, 5 and 6 have subsequently been dubbed ``simplest. They also have defining polynomials whose zeros are units satisfying (M). Further investigation of (M) for \(n=4\) leads to an elementary algebraic construction of a 2-parameter family of octic polynomials with ``generic Galois group \({_3T_{11}}\). Imposing an additional algebraic condition on these octics, the author produces a new family of cyclic quartic extensions. This family includes the ``simplest quartic fields and Washington's cyclic quartic fields as special cases.

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