Noether's problem for S₄ and S₅

DOI10.2140/PJM.2012.258.349MaRDI QIDQ453228zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Ming-Chang Kang, Jian Zhou

Publication date 19 September 2012

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

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/1006.1158, http://msp.org/pjm/2012/258-2/p06.xhtml

zbMATH Keywords

Noether's problemrationality problem

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Inverse Galois theory (12F12) Actions of groups on commutative rings; invariant theory (13A50) Rationality questions in algebraic geometry (14E08) Rational and unirational varieties (14M20)

Abstract: Let $k$ be a field, $G$ be a finite group and $k(x_g:ginG)$ be the rational function field over $k$, on which $G$ acts by $k$-automorphisms defined by $hcdot{x}_g=x_{hg}$ for any $g,hinG$. Noether's problem asks whether the fixed subfield $k(G):=k(x_g:ginG{)}^G$ is $k$-rational, i.e. purely transcendental over $k$. If $widehat{S}_n$ is the double cover of the symmetric group $S_n$, in which the liftings of transpositions and products of disjoint transpositions are of order $4$, Serre shows that $$ and $$ are not $$-rational. We will prove that, if $k$ is a field such that $fncharkeq2,3$, and $k(zet{a}_8)$ is a cyclic extension of $k$, then $k(widehat{S}_4)$ is $k$-rational. If it is assumed furthermore that $fnchark=0$, then $k(widehat{S}_5)$ is also $k$-rational.

Review text

Let \(k\) be a field and \(G\) be a finite group. Let \(G\) act on the rational function field \(k(x(g):g\in G)\) by \(k\) automorphisms defined by \(g\cdot x(h)=x(gh)\) for any \(g,h\in G\). Denote by \(k(G)\) the fixed field \(k(x(g):g\in G)^G\). Noether's problem then asks whether \(k(G)\) is rational (i.e., purely transcendental) over \(k\). In the paper under review, the authors investigate the Noether's problem for \(G=\hat S_4\) and \(G=\hat S_5\), where by \(\hat S_n\) is denoted the double cover of the symmetric group \(S_n\), in which the liftings of transpositions and products of disjoint transpositions are of order \(4\).NEWLINENEWLINESerre proved in the book [\textit{S. Garibaldi, A. Merkurjev} and \textit{J.-P. Serre}, Cohomological invariants in Galois cohomology. University Lecture Series 28. Providence, RI: American Mathematical Society (AMS) (2003; Zbl 1159.12311)] that \(\mathbb Q(\hat S_4)\) and \(\mathbb Q(\hat S_5)\) are not \(\mathbb Q\)-rational.NEWLINENEWLINEThe main result of Kang and Zhou's paper is that if \(k\) is a field such that \(\mathrm{char} k\neq 2,3\) and \(k(\zeta_8)\) is a cyclic extension of \(k\), then \(k(\hat S_4)\) is \(k\)-rational. If it is assumed furthermore that \(\mathrm{char} k=0\), then \(k(\hat S_5)\) is also \(k\)-rational. The main idea of the proof is to use the method of Galois descent, namely first is solved the rationality of \(k(\zeta_8)(\hat S_4)\), and then descend the ground field to \(k\). The authors also construct a \(4\)-dimensional faithful representation of \(\hat S_4\) defined over the field \(k\). This representation allows to decrease the number of variables by applying some well known rationality criteria.

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