Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2012 / iii / Paper 81 / 2

Let $F/K$ be a finite Galois extension, choose a prime ideal $\mathfrak{q}$ above $\mathfrak{p}$, and write $k_{\mathfrak{q}}$ and $k_{\mathfrak{p}}$ for the residue fields. The decomposition group and inertia group areThe Frobenius automorphism on the finite field $k_{\mathfrak{q}}$ is $x\mapsto x^{N\mathfrak{p}}$. Its inverse image defines a distinguished coset in $D_{\mathfrak{q}}/I_{\mathfrak{q}}$; a Frobenius element is a lift of that coset. At an unramified prime, $I_{\mathfrak{q}}=1$ and the lift is unique. Changing the prime above $\mathfrak{p}$ conjugates it, so a Frobenius conjugacy class is intrinsically attached to $\mathfrak{p}$. These are arithmetic Frobenius conventions.

Write $e=e(\mathfrak{q}/\mathfrak{p})$, $f=f(\mathfrak{q}/\mathfrak{p})$ and $g$ for the number of primes above $\mathfrak{p}$. The Galois group acts transitively on those primes, with stabilizer $D_{\mathfrak{q}}$. The fundamental identity for prime decomposition and the orbit-stabilizer theorem therefore giveIt remains to establish that the residue action has image of order $f$, rather than assume this in the desired equality.

Use the decomposition group of a prime and local Galois group identification $D_{\mathfrak{q}}=\mathrm{Gal}(F_{\mathfrak{q}}/K_{\mathfrak{p}})$. A generator of the finite field extension $k_{\mathfrak{q}}/k_{\mathfrak{p}}$ has a separable monic minimal polynomial of an algebraic element. Lift its coefficients to ${\mathcal{O}}_{K_{\mathfrak{p}}}$. The Hensel lemma lifts each of its distinct residue roots to $F_{\mathfrak{q}}$. One such lift has field degree at most $f$, while its residue generates the degree-$f$ finite field extension, so its field degree is exactly $f$ and its ramification index of a prime ideal is one. It therefore generates an unramified extension of degree $f$, and sending it to each of the other lifts gives its $f$ embeddings. Because $F_{\mathfrak{q}}/K_{\mathfrak{p}}$ is a Galois extension, these embeddings extend to its automorphisms. Their reductions realize every automorphism of $k_{\mathfrak{q}}/k_{\mathfrak{p}}$. Thus the residue action is surjective, and

Now let $G$ be cyclic of order ${\ell }^2$, and let $H=\mathrm{Gal}(F/L)$ be its unique subgroup of order $\ell$. In a tower of Galois extensions, inertia maps onto inertia in the intermediate extension. This also follows from the just-proved order formula: its image has order $e(F/K)/e(F/L)=e(L/K)$, using multiplicativity of the ramification index of a prime ideal in a tower. If $\mathfrak{p}$ ramifies in $L/K$, this image in $G/H$ is nontrivial. Every proper subgroup of $G$ is contained in $H$, so inertia upstairs must be $G$. HenceThe fundamental identity for prime decomposition then also forces a single prime above $\mathfrak{p}$ and residue-field degree one.

For a direct check of unramified behavior, the cyclotomic polynomial ${\Phi }_{25}$ divides $X^{25}-1$. Modulo $7$, the latter has derivative $25X^{24}=4X^{24}$ and has no common root with that derivative. Thus ${\overline{\Phi }}_{25}$ is separable, so $7$ does not divide its polynomial discriminant. The field discriminant divides this polynomial discriminant, and therefore $7$ is unramified in $\mathbb{Q}({\zeta }_{25})$. The Frobenius automorphism satisfiesIndeed its residue action is seventh powering. The reduced $25$th roots of unity are distinct because $7\nmid 25$, so the residue congruence identifies the exponent uniquely modulo $25$.

The Galois group is $(\mathbb{Z}/25\mathbb{Z}{)}^{\times }$, of order $\phi (25)=20$. Since $7^2=49\equiv -1(\mathrm{mod}25)$, $7^4\equiv 1$ but $7^2\not\equiv 1$. Consequently the Frobenius automorphism has order four. An unramified decomposition group is generated by that element, and the orbit-stabilizer theorem givesThere are therefore five primes above $7$, each with residue field ${\mathbb{F}}_{7^4}$.