Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2015 / iii / Paper 26 (Local Fields)

A strong lifting lemma. Let $R$ be a complete discrete valuation ring, with fraction field $F$ and normalized discrete valuation $v$. A useful strong form of Hensel lemma says that for $f\in R[T]$ and $a\in R$ satisfyingthere is a root $b\in R$ withIf $f(a)=0$, take $b=a$. Otherwise the hypothesis ensures that $f^{\prime }(a)\ne 0$. The root is unique among $b$ satisfying $v(b-a)>v(f^{\prime }(a))$. In particular, a simple root of the reduction of $f$ lifts uniquely with its specified residue.

Here is a proof by Newton iteration over a valued field. Put $a_0=a$ andWrite $A_j=v(f(a_j))$ and $B=v(f^{\prime }(a_0))$. Taylor expansion over $R$ shows, inductively, that the increment has valuation $A_j-B>B$, that $v(f^{\prime }(a_{j+1}))=B$, and thatIndeed, the constant and linear terms of $f(a_{j+1})$ cancel, leaving terms of valuation at least twice that of the increment. The change in $f^{\prime }$ has valuation greater than $B$, so its valuation stays $B$. Thus all iterates lie in $R$ and form a Cauchy sequence. Completeness and continuity give a root $b$. The later increments have strictly larger valuations than the first, proving the displayed distance formula. For uniqueness, if $b,c$ are in the stated ball, Taylor expansion factorsThe second factor is nonzero, so two roots must coincide. This proves Hensel's lemma in the form needed here.

Odd residue characteristic. For odd $p$, a p-adic unit $u$ is a square exactly when its reduction is a square in ${\mathbb{F}}_p^{\times }$. Necessity follows by reduction. For sufficiency, a nonzero residue root of $T^2-u$ has derivative $2T$ invertible modulo $p$, so the Hensel lemma lifts it. The multiplicative group of a finite field is cyclic, and its subgroup of squares has index two. ThereforeRepresentatives are $1$ and any unit whose reduction is a quadratic nonresidue.

Residue characteristic two. An odd integer has square congruent to one modulo eight, so a square 2-adic unit must lie in $1+8{\mathbb{Z}}_2$. Conversely, if $u\equiv 1(\mathrm{mod}8)$, take $f(T)=T^2-u$ and $a=1$. Then $v_2(f(1))\ge 3>2v_2(f^{\prime }(1))=2$, and the strong form of Hensel lemma produces a square root. HenceThe four unit square classes of the p-adic integers have representatives $1,3,5,7$.

The Hasse-Minkowski theorem says that a nondegenerate quadratic form over a number field has a nonzero isotropic vector over that field if and only if it has one over every completion. In particular, over $\mathbb{Q}$ one tests $\mathbb{R}$ and every ${\mathbb{Q}}_{\ell }$. For the present integral form, a rational isotropic vector can be multiplied by a common denominator to give an integer one. This is the Hasse-Minkowski principle.

Write $P=p$, $R=p+12$ and $S=p+24$. All three primes are odd and exceed three: $p=2$ or $3$ would make $p+12$ composite. The second supplementary law for quadratic reciprocity gives

Necessity at $P$. Scale any nonzero vector over ${\mathbb{Q}}_P$ so that its coordinates lie in ${\mathbb{Z}}_P$ and at least one is a unit. Reduction of its equation modulo $P$ gives $y^2=2z^2$, since twelve is invertible modulo $P$. If the Legendre symbol $(2/P)$ is $-1$, this forces $P\mid y,z$. The original equation then forces $P\mid x$, because its other two terms are divisible by $P^2$. This contradicts the normalization. Thus

Sufficiency at the coefficient primes. Suppose $(2/P)=1$. A nonzero solution modulo $P$ is $(x,y,z)=(0,\sqrt{2},1)$. Its $y$-derivative is nonzero modulo $P$, so fixing the other two coordinates and applying the Hensel lemma lifts it to ${\mathbb{Q}}_P$.

Since $S\equiv P(\mathrm{mod}8)$, the same Legendre symbol criterion gives $(2/S)=1$. Modulo $S$, the equation reduces to $y^2=2x^2$, and the vector $(1,\sqrt{2},0)$ is a simple zero in the $y$ coordinate. It lifts to ${\mathbb{Q}}_S$. Modulo $R$, the coefficients of $x^2$ and $z^2$ are respectively $-12$ and $12$, so $(1,0,1)$ is a zero with nonzero $x$-derivative. It lifts to ${\mathbb{Q}}_R$.

The remaining odd primes. If $\ell$ is odd and divides none of $PRS$, the reduced ternary quadratic form is nondegenerate. An elementary finite-field argument finds a zero with $z=1$: if its coefficients are $A,B,C$, the setsboth have $(\ell +1)/2$ elements, so intersect. The resulting vector has nonzero $z$-derivative $2C$, and the Hensel lemma lifts it. This isotropy of nondegenerate ternary quadratic forms over finite fields verifies every remaining odd completion without an extra congruence condition.

The dyadic and real places. Setting $y=1,z=2$ reduces the dyadic problem toThe right side is a 2-adic unit congruent to $-3-4=1$ modulo eight. The unit square classes of the p-adic integers computed above show that it is a square in ${\mathbb{Q}}_2$. This also explains the printed hint: its integer can be taken as $m=-(p+21)/2$. Over $\mathbb{R}$, the positive and negative coefficients make the form indefinite; for instance $x=0,z=1,y=\sqrt{S/R}$ gives a nonzero zero.

All completions now have a nonzero isotropic vector. The Hasse-Minkowski theorem, followed by clearing denominators, proves

Let $e_1,\dots ,e_d$ be a ${\mathbb{Q}}_p$-basis of $K$, and define the coordinate normFirst an extending absolute value on a field is automatically non-Archimedean. Its values on integers are at most one, and the binomial theorem givesTaking $m$th roots and letting $m\to \infty$ proves the ultrametric inequality.

ConsequentlyThis bound makes $x\mapsto |x|$ continuous for the coordinate topology. The coordinate sphere $S=\{x:\Vert x{\Vert }_0=1\}$ is a closed subset of ${\mathbb{Z}}_p^d$, hence compact. It contains no zero, so the continuous positive function $|x|$ attains a positive minimum $c$ there. Scaling any nonzero vector by a power of $p$ to put it in $S$ provesThis is the compact-sphere proof of finite-dimensional non-Archimedean norm equivalence.

A Cauchy sequence for $|\cdot |$ is therefore Cauchy in each coordinate. The completeness of ${\mathbb{Q}}_p$ gives a coordinate limit, and the upper bound gives convergence to it for $|\cdot |$. Thus every extending absolute value makes $K$ complete.

For uniqueness, if $|\cdot {|}_1$ and $|\cdot {|}_2$ are two extensions, their respective bounds give constants $A,B>0$ withApply this to $x^m$ and use multiplicativity:Letting $m\to \infty$ proves $\boxed{|x{|}_1=|x{|}_2}$ for every $x$. This proves the unique extension of an absolute value to a finite extension without assuming that an arbitrary coordinate norm is multiplicative.

A number-field completion is finite. Let $F$ be the given number field and $L=F_{\mathfrak{p}}$ its completion. Normalize its absolute value on a field so that the restriction to $\mathbb{Q}$ is $|\cdot {|}_p$: if $v_{\mathfrak{p}}(p)=e$, use $|x|=p^{-v_{\mathfrak{p}}(x)/e}$. Changing the original absolute value by this positive power does not change its completion. The closure of $\mathbb{Q}$ in $L$ is an isometric copy of ${\mathbb{Q}}_p$.

Take a $\mathbb{Q}$-basis of $F$ and let $V$ be its ${\mathbb{Q}}_p$-span in $L$. Choose a maximal linearly independent subset of that finite spanning set. The compact-sphere proof of finite-dimensional non-Archimedean norm equivalence applies to this basis too, so $V$ is complete and therefore closed in $L$. Since $F\subset V$ is dense in $L$, it follows that $V=L$. Hence

Every finite extension is obtained this way. Let $E/{\mathbb{Q}}_p$ be finite. Use its extending Non-Archimedean absolute value, whose completeness and uniqueness were proved above. In characteristic zero the primitive element theorem gives $E={\mathbb{Q}}_p(\alpha )$; scaling $\alpha$ by a power of $p$, we may arrange that it is integral. Its monic minimal polynomial $f$ belongs to ${\mathbb{Z}}_p[T]$. If the degree is one, $E={\mathbb{Q}}_p$ is already the completion of $\mathbb{Q}$.

Otherwise choosewhere ${\alpha }^{\prime }$ runs over the conjugates in an algebraic closure. Approximate the coefficients of $f$ by integers, obtaining a monic $g\in \mathbb{Z}[T]$ of the same degree. Since $f^{\prime }(\alpha )\ne 0$, sufficiently accurate approximation gives $|g(\alpha )|<|g^{\prime }(\alpha ){|}^2$ and makes $|g(\alpha )/g^{\prime }(\alpha )|<\delta$. The strong form of Hensel lemma in $E$ produces a root $\beta \in E$ of $g$ with $|\beta -\alpha |<\delta$.

For completeness, the required Krasner's lemma follows from the unique extension of an absolute value to a finite extension. In a finite Galois extension containing $\alpha ,\beta$, every automorphism $\sigma$ fixing $\beta$ is an isometry, andIf $\sigma \alpha \ne \alpha$, this contradicts the choice of $\delta$. Thus every automorphism fixing $\beta$ fixes $\alpha$, and Galois correspondence gives ${\mathbb{Q}}_p(\alpha )\subseteq {\mathbb{Q}}_p(\beta )$. Since $\beta \in E$, equality follows. In particular $g$ is irreducible over ${\mathbb{Q}}_p$, and therefore over $\mathbb{Q}$.

Put $F=\mathbb{Q}(\beta )\subset E$. It is a number field, and the closure of $F$ in $E$ contains ${\mathbb{Q}}_p(\beta )=E$, so $F$ is dense. LetEvery element of the ring of integers of a number field has absolute value at most one: otherwise its highest-degree term would strictly dominate all other terms of a monic integer equation. Thus reduction into the residue field of $E$ makes $\mathfrak{p}$ a prime ideal, and $\mathfrak{p}\cap \mathbb{Z}=p\mathbb{Z}$. The restriction of the valuation to $F$ is the valuation of this prime, up to normalization. Indeed, the localized discrete valuation ring $({\mathcal{O}}_F{)}_{\mathfrak{p}}$ maps into ${\mathcal{O}}_E$, its units have absolute value one, and its uniformizer has absolute value less than one. Density and completeness giveThis proves the local realization as a completion of a number field.

The valuation ring and local compactness. The opening, unlettered requests useThe ultrametric inequality makes ${\mathcal{O}}_K$ a valuation ring; its elements outside $\mathfrak{m}$ are exactly the units, so $\mathfrak{m}$ is its unique maximal ideal, and $k$ is the residue field.

Here the customary nontrivial-valuation hypothesis for a local field is necessary. With the trivial absolute value, any infinite field is discrete and locally compact, but its residue field is infinite and there is no nonzero uniformizer. We use the nontrivial valuation in the conclusions below.

Local compactness first gives a compact neighborhood of zero. Choose a sufficiently small nonzero $t$ so that the closed set $t{\mathcal{O}}_K$ is contained in that compact neighborhood. Then $t{\mathcal{O}}_K$, and hence ${\mathcal{O}}_K$, is compact. Since $\mathfrak{m}$ is open, its cosets give a discrete compact quotient $k$, which must be finite. Write $|k|=q$. The subgroup $\mathfrak{m}$ now has finite index and is closed in ${\mathcal{O}}_K$, hence compact. The continuous function $|\cdot |$ attains on $\mathfrak{m}$ a maximum $c$ with $0<c<1$. Choose $\pi$ with $|\pi |=c$. Every $x\in \mathfrak{m}$ has $|x/\pi |\le 1$, soSuccessive division by $\pi$ shows that every nonzero element of ${\mathcal{O}}_K$ is a unit times a power of $\pi$: division must terminate because $|\pi {|}^j\to 0$. Thus the value group is discrete. A Cauchy sequence eventually lies in a translate of the compact ring ${\mathcal{O}}_K$, has a convergent subsequence, and consequently converges itself. These arguments prove the discrete valuation from nontrivial local compactness and the completeness of locally compact nontrivially valued fields.

The iterated-power limit. Normalize the discrete valuation by $v(\pi )=1$, and write $q={\ell }^f$, where $\ell$ is the residue characteristic. For $u\in 1+{\pi }^s{\mathcal{O}}_K$ with $s\ge 1$, the binomial theorem givesThe linear term gains a factor $q\in \mathfrak{m}$ (or is zero in positive characteristic), while all terms of degree at least two have valuation at least $2s\ge s+1$.

For $a\in {\mathcal{O}}_K^{\times }$, reduction gives $a^{q-1}\in 1+\mathfrak{m}$, because $k^{\times }$ has order $q-1$. Iterating the inequality yieldsThe sequence is Cauchy and converges to a unit $\omega (a)$. Since the reduction of $a^{q^j}$ is always $\bar{a}$, its limit has the same residue. Taking limits after shifting the sequence gives $\omega (a{)}^q=\omega (a)$, whenceThis is the Teichmuller representative. The Hensel lemma applied to $T^{q-1}-1$, whose derivative is a unit at every nonzero residue, shows uniqueness for each residue. Consequently the prime-to-$\ell$ roots give a canonical splitting

Logarithms on sufficiently deep units. Suppose $\mathrm{char}K=0$, let $\ell$ be the residue characteristic, and put $e=v(\ell )$. For every integer $r>e/(\ell -1)$ the p-adic logarithm and p-adic exponential function, evaluated in $K$, converge on the required domains:The bounds $v(m!)=e{v}_{\ell }(m!)\le e(m-1)/(\ell -1)$ and $v(m)\le e(m-1)/(\ell -1)$ show that, for $x,y\in {\pi }^r{\mathcal{O}}_K$, every term beyond the linear one has valuation strictly greater than $v(x)$ or $v(y)$. The series therefore converge and preserve these lattices; in particular $\exp (y)\in 1+{\pi }^r{\mathcal{O}}_K$. Their formal composition and addition identities are valid by convergence, giving inverse continuous group homomorphismsThus the logarithm isomorphism on deep principal units isThe right-hand group is torsion-free.

Roots of unity in ${\mathbb{Q}}_p$. For odd $p$, take $\ell =p,e=1,r=1$. The principal unit group $1+p{\mathbb{Z}}_p$ is torsion-free by the logarithm isomorphism on deep principal units. The Teichmuller representative splitting leaves precisely the $p-1$ roots in ${\mu }_{p-1}$.

For $p=2$, take $r=2$. Each odd unit is uniquely $\pm u$ with $u\in 1+4{\mathbb{Z}}_2$, since its residue modulo four is either one or minus one. This latter group is torsion-free. ConsequentlyThis computes the roots of unity in the p-adic numbers.

The units of ${\mathbb{Q}}_2(i)$. Set $\pi =1-i$. Its polynomial $T^2-2T+2$ is Eisenstein, soThe Eisenstein polynomial facts justifying this are stated in the next solution. Write $U_s=1+{\pi }^s{\mathcal{O}}_K$. Reduction gives ${\mathcal{O}}_K^{\times }=U_1$, and the successive quotients of principal-unit groupshave order two for $s\ge 1$. Hence $[U_1:U_3]=4$. The four roots in ${\mu }_4=\{1,i,-1,-i\}$ have distinct images modulo $U_3$, sinceThey exhaust the quotient and intersect $U_3$ trivially. Since $r=3>2/(2-1)$, the logarithm isomorphism on deep principal units gives $U_3\cong ({\mathcal{O}}_K,+)$. Therefore the unit decomposition of the 2-adic Gaussian field isIn particular these four elements are all its roots of unity.

Quadratic extensions. A nonzero element of $K$ is uniquely a power of $\pi$ times a unit, so $K^{\times }\cong {\pi }^{\mathbb{Z}}\times {\mathcal{O}}_K^{\times }$. Squaring on the decomposition above acts as squaring on ${\mu }_4$ and multiplication by two on the additive ring ${\mathcal{O}}_K={\mathbb{Z}}_2\oplus {\mathbb{Z}}_{2}i$. Thus the square-class group of the 2-adic Gaussian field isBy quadratic extensions from square classes, in characteristic different from two the nontrivial square classes classify quadratic extensions $K(\sqrt{a})$: two such extensions are $K$-isomorphic exactly when $a/b$ is a square. There are therefore $\boxed{2^4-1=15}$ quadratic extensions up to $K$-isomorphism.

The filtration and its meaning. Let $L/K$ be a finite Galois extension of non-Archimedean local fields, with group $G$, normalized valuation $v_L$, and residue fields $k_L/k_K$ of characteristic $\ell$. The lower ramification numbering isThe higher ramification groups are normal, decrease with $j$, and eventually become trivial: for each nonidentity automorphism some integral element is moved by a nonzero amount. The first group $G_0$ is the inertia group, withIts fixed field is the maximal unramified extension inside $L$. The wild inertia group is $G_1$. For a uniformizer ${\pi }_L$, there are injective homomorphismsThe kernels are the indicated next groups; the additive homomorphism assertion follows by expanding a product of automorphisms modulo ${\pi }_L^{j+2}$. These maps show that $G_0/G_1$ is cyclic of order prime to $\ell$, while $G_1$ is an $\ell$-group. Thus tame ramification is exactly the case $G_1=1$.

To calculate the groups, the uniformizer criterion for lower ramification groups saysIndeed, ${\mathcal{O}}_L$ is generated by ${\pi }_L$ over the integers of the maximal unramified subextension, which $G_0$ fixes. Differences of powers of ${\pi }_L$ are divisible by $\sigma {\pi }_L-{\pi }_L$, so the one test implies all the defining inequalities.

Eisenstein facts used in the calculations. For a complete discrete valuation ring $A$ with uniformizer $\varpi$, a monic polynomialis an Eisenstein polynomial if $\varpi \mid a_j$ for every $j<d$ and ${\varpi }^2\nmid a_0$. The Eisenstein criterion makes it irreducible. If $\theta$ is a root, its valuation relative to the base normalization is $1/d$, the extension has degree and ramification index $d$, its residue field is unchanged, andThe root valuation follows by comparing the terms of its equation. The ramification index must then be at least $d$, hence exactly $d$. In the basis $1,\theta ,\dots ,{\theta }^{d-1}$, the valuations of $b_j{\theta }^j$ are distinct modulo $d$, so an integral linear combination has every $b_j\in A$. This proves the integer-ring assertion. Conversely, a uniformizer in a totally ramified extension generates the field, and its minimal polynomial is Eisenstein; this follows from its value $1/d$, equal valuations of its conjugates, and the valuation one of its norm.

For a monogenic separable integer ring $A[\theta ]$, the different ideal is generated by $f^{\prime }(\theta )$. For a Galois extension, the different exponent from ramification groups isIn the totally ramified case these agree directly: $f^{\prime }({\pi }_L)={\prod }_{\sigma \ne 1}({\pi }_L-\sigma {\pi }_L)$, and an automorphism with displacement valuation $h$ contributes once to each of $G_0,\dots ,G_{h-1}$.

Upper numbering. Extend the lower indexing to real $s\ge 0$ by $G_s=G_{\lceil s\rceil }$, and setOn $[-1,0]$ take $\phi (s)=s$. This Herbrand function slows the indexing as the groups shrink. Lower numbering is compatible with subgroups, while upper ramification numbering is compatible with quotients: for normal $H$, $(G/H{)}^u=G^{u}H/H$. This is the fact that upper ramification groups commute with quotients. Thus upper breaks are particularly useful when comparing intermediate Galois extensions.

The eighth-root cyclotomic extension. Put $\zeta ={\zeta }_8$ and $\pi =\zeta -1$. The shifted cyclotomic polynomialis Eisenstein at two. Hence $L={\mathbb{Q}}_2(\zeta )$ is totally ramified of degree four, $v_L(2)=4$, and $\pi$ is a uniformizer. Its Galois group consists of ${\sigma }_a(\zeta )={\zeta }^a$ for $a=1,3,5,7$, and is $C_2\times C_2$.

Since $\zeta$ is a unit,For $a=3,7$, this is the valuation of $i-1$ or $-i-1$, namely two, because their squares are units times two. For $a=5$, it is $v_L(-2)=4$. The ramification groups of the eighth-root cyclotomic extension of the 2-adic field are thereforeThe lower breaks are one and three, andThus the upper breaks are one and two:The different exponent from ramification groups is $3+3+1+1=8$, agreeing with $v_L(4{\zeta }^3)=8$ from the derivative of $T^4+1$.

The cubic splitting field at three. Let ${\alpha }^3=2$, $\zeta ={\zeta }_3$, and putThe polynomialsare Eisenstein at three. They give totally ramified subextensions of degrees three and two. Their intersection is the base field, so $L={\mathbb{Q}}_3(\alpha ,\zeta )$ has degree six. Its ramification index is divisible by both three and two, hence equals six; therefore $L/{\mathbb{Q}}_3$ is totally ramified. It is the splitting field of $T^3-2$, with Galois group $S_3$.

Normalize $v_L$ so that $v_L(3)=6$. Then $v_L(\beta )=2$ and $v_L(\lambda )=3$, makinga uniformizer. Let $\sigma (\alpha )=\zeta \alpha ,\sigma (\zeta )=\zeta$ and $\tau (\alpha )=\alpha ,\tau (\zeta )={\zeta }^2$. They generate $S_3$. Since $\tau (\lambda )=(\zeta +1)\lambda$,For the order-three automorphism,Here $\alpha$ is a unit and $v_L(\zeta \alpha +1)=v_L(\sigma \beta )=2$. The same calculation gives valuation two for ${\sigma }^2$. The three transpositions are conjugate and the defining filtration is normal, so they all have displacement valuation one. The ramification groups of the splitting field of T3 minus 2 over Q3 areThe lower breaks are zero and one. Since $[G_0:G_s]=2$ for $0<s\le 1$,and the upper groups areThe different exponent from ramification groups is $5+2=7$. As an independent check, the cubic subfield has different exponent $v_{{\mathbb{Q}}_3(\alpha )}(3{\alpha }^2)=3$, and the quadratic extension above it is tame with different exponent one. Transitivity of the different ideal gives $1+2\cdot 3=7$, as required.