On algebraically maximal valued fields and defectless extensions (Q2888775)

Let \(K\) be a field with a Krull valuation \(v\), \(O _ v = \{\alpha \in K: \;v(\alpha ) \geq 0\}\) the valuation ring, \(\widehat K\) the residue field, and \(v(K)\) the value group of \((K, v)\). A valued extension \((K ^ {\prime }, v ^ {\prime })\) of \((K, v)\) is called immediate, if \(\widehat K ^ {\prime } = \widehat K\) and \(v ^ {\prime }(K ^ {\prime }) = v(K)\). The valuation \(v\) is said to be Henselian, if it extends uniquely, up-to an equivalence, to a valuation \(v _ L\) on each intermediate field \(L\) of \(\widetilde K/K\). This occurs, for example, if \((K, v)\) is algebraically maximal, i.e. it does not possess immediate proper algebraic extensions. Henceforth, we assume that \(v\) is Henselian, put \(\tilde v = v _ {\widetilde K}\) and consider any intermediate field \(L\) of \(\widetilde K/K\) together with the valuation \(v _ L\). When \(L/K\) has finite degree \([L: K]\), we say that \(L/K\) is defectless, if \([L: K] = [\widehat L: \widehat K]e(L/K)\), where \(e(L/K)\) is the ramification index of \(L/K\), i.e. the index of \(v(K)\) in \(v _ L(L)\).NEWLINENEWLINEThe paper under review finds several necessary conditions for \(L/K\) to be defectless, under the hypothesis that \(L/K\) is a simple extension. In addition, it obtains various necessary and sufficient conditions that \((K, v)\) be algebraically maximal; for example, this occurs if and only if, for each \(\theta \in \widetilde K \setminus K\), the set \(\{\tilde v(\theta - a): \;a \in K\}\) has a maximum element. As shown by the authors, the noted characterization quickly leads to a new proof of Ershov's result which states that \((K, v)\) is algebraically maximal if and only if the set \(\{v(f(a)): \;a \in K\}\) has a maximum element, for every polynomial \(f(X) \in K[X]\).