Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2009 / iii / Paper 28 / 4

Let $\pi \in K$ be a uniformizer. Because $L/K$ is unramified, the same $\pi$ is a uniformizer of $L$, and $v_L{|}_K=v_K$. The conjugates of $z\in L^{\times }$ all have the same valuation, soThis proves that every field norm has valuation divisible by $n$. Conversely $N_{L/K}({\pi }^r)={\pi }^{nr}$ for every integer $r$, so it remains to prove surjectivity of unit norms in unramified extensions.

Write $|k_K|=Q$, so $|k_L|=Q^n$. Reduction of the field norm on units is the finite-field normThe multiplicative group of a finite field is cyclic. The displayed power map on a group of order $Q^n-1$ has image of order $Q-1$, and is therefore onto $k_K^{\times }$. Given a unit $u\in {\mathcal{O}}_K^{\times }$, first choose $b_1\in {\mathcal{O}}_L^{\times }$ with $N(b_1)\equiv u(\mathrm{mod}\pi )$.

We can correct the norm at each subsequent power of $\pi$. For $r\ge 1$ and $a\in {\mathcal{O}}_L$, expanding the product over the cyclic Galois group givesAll products involving at least two correction terms are divisible by ${\pi }^{2r}$, hence by ${\pi }^{r+1}$. The residue field trace is onto even if the residue characteristic divides $n$. Indeed its polynomial $T(X)=X+X^Q+\cdots +X^{Q^{n-1}}$ is nonzero of degree $Q^{n-1}<Q^n$; it cannot vanish at every element of $k_L$. Its values lie in $k_K$, since raising $T(a)$ to $Q$ cyclically permutes the summands. Thus it is a nonzero $k_K$-linear map to the one-dimensional space $k_K$, and is surjective.

Suppose $N(b_r)\equiv u(\mathrm{mod}{\pi }^r)$. Choose ${\bar{a}}_r$ whose trace is the coefficient of ${\pi }^r$ in $u/N(b_r)-1$, and put $b_{r+1}=b_r(1+{\pi }^r{a}_r)$. Then $N(b_{r+1})\equiv u(\mathrm{mod}{\pi }^{r+1})$, and $b_{r+1}\equiv b_r(\mathrm{mod}{\pi }^r)$. By completeness the units $b_r$ converge to a unit $b$. The field norm is continuous, being a polynomial in coordinates of multiplication, so $N(b)=u$. Multiplying such a unit by a power of $\pi$ provesThe proof uses no local class field theory, and works in either characteristic.

The multiplicative Hilbert theorem 90 states that, for a finite Galois extension $L/K$ with Galois group $G$, every multiplicative cocycle $c:G\to L^{\times }$ satisfying $c_{\sigma \tau }=c_{\sigma }\sigma (c_{\tau })$ has the form $c_{\sigma }=\sigma (y)/y$ for some $y\in L^{\times }$. In the cyclic case $G=⟨\sigma ⟩$, it says

Here is the full existence argument. Distinct field homomorphisms $\sigma :L\to L$ are linearly independent as functions over $L$. To see this Artin independence theorem directly, assume a nonzero identically vanishing relation with the fewest nonzero coefficients. There are at least two terms. Choose two participating embeddings ${\sigma }_1,{\sigma }_j$ and an element $a$ with ${\sigma }_1(a)\ne {\sigma }_j(a)$. Evaluate the relation at $at$ and subtract ${\sigma }_j(a)$ times its value at $t$. The $j$th term disappears while the first remains nonzero, giving a shorter vanishing relation, a contradiction.

Apply this independence toThe coefficients are nonzero, so $A$ is not identically zero; choose $t$ with $y=A(t)\ne 0$. The cocycle identity gives $\tau (c_{\sigma }^{-1})=c_{\tau \sigma }^{-1}{c}_{\tau }$, and henceThis proves the general statement. In the cyclic case, given $N(x)=1$, set $c_1=1$ and $c_{{\sigma }^j}=x\sigma (x)\cdots {\sigma }^{j-1}(x)$ for $1\le j<n$. The norm-one identity makes this definition compatible with ${\sigma }^n=1$, and the cocycle identity follows by concatenating the products. The argument above gives $\sigma (y)/y=x$. Conversely that quotient has norm one because its conjugate product telescopes.

Finally let $L/K$ be unramified, and take its arithmetic Frobenius $\varphi$. For a unit $x$ of norm one, the cyclic theorem gives $b\in L^{\times }$ with $\varphi (b)/b=x$. Write $r=v_L(b)$ and choose the common uniformizer $\pi \in K$. Then $y={\pi }^{-r}b$ has valuation zero, and $\varphi (\pi )=\pi$ implies $\varphi (y)/y=\varphi (b)/b=x$. Thus the unit form of Hilbert theorem 90 isThe unramified hypothesis is what permits shifting an arbitrary integer valuation of $b$ by a power of a uniformizer belonging to $K$.