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Let $d=[L:K]$, with normalized discrete valuations $v_K,v_L$. Suppose first that $L/K$ is totally ramified, so $e(L/K)=d$. Choose a uniformizer $x$ of $L$. The elements $1,x,\dots ,x^{d-1}$ are linearly independent over $K$: the nonzero terms $c_j{x}^j$ in any proposed relation have valuations $d{v}_K(c_j)+j$, distinct modulo $d$, and a sum with a unique least valuation cannot vanish by the ultrametric inequality. Hence $[K(x):K]\ge d$, proving $L=K(x)$.

Extend $v_K$ to an algebraic closure with values in $\mathbb{Q}$. Every conjugate of $x$ has valuation $1/d$, by uniqueness of the extended valuation on finite extensions of the complete field $K$. In its monic minimal polynomial of an algebraic element $g(T)=T^d+a_{d-1}{T}^{d-1}+\cdots +a_0$, the coefficient $a_{d-j}$ is a sum of products of $j$ conjugates, counted with multiplicity. Thus $v_K(a_{d-j})\ge j/d>0$ for $j\ge 1$, so every nonleading coefficient is in ${\mathfrak{m}}_K$. The constant coefficient is the product of all $d$ conjugates, so has valuation exactly one. This proves that $g$ is an Eisenstein polynomial. This argument also works for inseparable finite extensions, since the conjugates can be counted with their multiplicities.

Conversely let $g$ be an Eisenstein polynomial of degree $d$, with root $x$ and $L=K(x)$. The Eisenstein criterion proves irreducibility. For completeness, monic factors would have integral coefficients; their reductions would be positive-degree powers of $T$, so both constant coefficients would be divisible by the uniformizer of $K$, contradicting $v_K(g(0))=1$. To determine the root valuation, put $t=v_K(x)$ in the extended valuation. If $t<0$, the leading term is the unique term of least valuation; if $t=0$, the leading term again has uniquely least valuation zero. Both are impossible. If $t>0$, every nonconstant lower term has valuation at least $1+jt>1$. Cancellation in $g(x)=0$ therefore requires the leading term and constant term to have equal valuation:Since $t=v_L(x)/e(L/K)$ and $v_L(x)$ is a positive integer, $e(L/K)=d{v}_L(x)\ge d$. The opposite inequality follows from $[L:K]=e(L/K)f(L/K)=d$. Hence $e=d$, $f=1$, and $v_L(x)=1$. We have proved both the equivalence and the uniformizer assertion:

Now take $q=p^a$ with $a\ge 1$ and $\zeta ={\zeta }_{p^a}$. The translated cyclotomic polynomial isIn characteristic $p$, putting $U=T^{p^{a-1}}$ reduces this to ${\sum }_{j=0}^{p-1}(1+U{)}^j=U^{p-1}=T^{p^{a-1}(p-1)}$. Its constant coefficient over the integers is $p$. It is therefore Eisenstein at $p$, of degree $d=p^{a-1}(p-1)$. Consequently ${\mathbb{Q}}_p({\zeta }_{p^a})/{\mathbb{Q}}_p$ is totally ramified of degree $d$, with uniformizer ${\zeta }_{p^a}-1$. If $q=1$, the field is simply ${\mathbb{Q}}_p$, a trivial totally ramified extension.

For a general positive integer $n=p^{a}m$ with $p\nmid m$, the field generated by the prime-to-$p$ root of unity ${\zeta }_m$ is unramified. Indeed $T^m-1$ has distinct roots modulo $p$. In a finite unramified field whose residue field contains those roots, Hensel lemma lifts all of them uniquely. Reduction preserves their orders: a prime-to-$p$ root reducing to one must itself be one, by Hensel uniqueness at the root one of $T^m-1$. The arithmetic Frobenius therefore acts as ${\zeta }_m\mapsto {\zeta }_m^p$, and the extension degree is the multiplicative order of $p$ modulo $m$, with degree one when $m=1$.

The identityfollows by taking powers of a primitive nth root of unity and using the coprimality of $p^a,m$ in the opposite direction. The prime-to-$p$ field is unramified and the $p$-power field is totally ramified; unramified base change preserves total ramification proves that their compositum has the same residue degree as the prime-to-$p$ field. Thus the total ramification criterion for local cyclotomic extensions gives the full classification:This includes trivial extensions when $a=0$. For $p=2$ only $m=1$ is possible.

For a finite totally ramified Galois extension $L/K$ with Galois group $G$, define its lower ramification numbering byHere $G_0$ is the inertia group, which equals $G$, and $G_1$ is the wild inertia group. For a uniformizer $\pi$ the condition is equivalent to $v_L(\sigma (\pi )-\pi )\ge i+1$. To justify this uniformizer criterion for lower ramification groups, expand every $b\in {\mathcal{O}}_L$ as a convergent series ${\sum }_{j\ge 0}{c}_j{\pi }^j$ with the coefficients $c_j$ chosen from representatives of $k_K$ in ${\mathcal{O}}_K$. Such an expansion is obtained by successive subtraction of a residue representative and division by $\pi$, since total ramification gives $k_L=k_K$. The automorphism fixes each $c_j$, and $\sigma (\pi {)}^j-{\pi }^j$ is divisible by $\sigma (\pi )-\pi$. Thus the required valuation bound for $\pi$ implies it for every $b$, including the limit by completeness.

For $L={\mathbb{Q}}_p({\zeta }_{p^a})$, all primitive conjugates lie in $L$ and the Eisenstein degree is $\phi (p^a)$. HenceIf ${\sigma }_b\ne 1$, put $s=v_p(b-1)$, so $0\le s<a$. The element ${\zeta }^{b-1}$ is a primitive $p^{a-s}$th root of unity. Applying the already proved uniformizer result to its field, and multiplying its valuation by the ramification index of $L$ over that field, givesThe identity automorphism has infinite valuation. Therefore the lower ramification filtration of a prime-power cyclotomic extension is explicitlyThe order of the middle group is $p^{a-j}$. At odd $p$, $G_0/G_1$ has order $p-1$; at $p=2$, the condition $b\equiv 1(\mathrm{mod}2)$ is automatic, so $G_0=G_1$ when $a\ge 2$. The case $p=2,a=1$ has trivial Galois group, and the displayed formula remains valid. For $a=0$ all groups are trivial. The valuation calculation also provides the upper ramification numbering, if desired, by integrating the reciprocal indices with the Herbrand function; no change of numbering is implicit in the displayed answer.

For a smooth projective curve of genus $g$, the Riemann-Roch theorem stateswhere $D$ is a divisor, $K$ a canonical divisor, and $\ell (D)=\dim H^0(V,{\mathcal{O}}_V(D))$. In particular, applying it to $D=0$ and $D=K$ gives $\ell (K)=g$ and $\mathrm{deg}K=2g-2$.

For a nonconstant morphism $f:C\to D$ of degree $d$ in characteristic zero, choose local parameters with $t\circ f=u^e$ up to a unit at a point of ramification index $e$. Pulling back a differential multiplies its local order by $e$ and adds $e-1$, because $d(u^e)=e{u}^{e-1}du$ and $e\ne 0$ in the field. ThusThe degree of a divisor of a pulled-back divisor is $d$ times its degree. Taking degrees and using the Riemann-Roch theorem gives the Riemann-Hurwitz formula

A smooth plane cubic has genus one by the genus-degree formula. In the displayed normal form, $F(0,X_1)=c{X}_1^3$ with $c\ne 0$: otherwise $X_0$ divides $F$ and the cubic is reducible. Therefore the line $X_0=0$ meets the cubic in the divisor $3P_0$, and ${\mathcal{O}}_V(1)\cong {\mathcal{O}}_V(3P_0)$. The elliptic curve group law identifies $P$ with the degree-zero divisor class $[P-P_0]$. Order three means $3P\sim 3P_0$. Consequently ${\mathcal{O}}_V(3P)\cong {\mathcal{O}}_V(1)$ and has a section with zero divisor $3P$.

Every section of ${\mathcal{O}}_V(1)$ is the restriction of a linear form: ambient linear forms form a three-dimensional space and restrict injectively, while Riemann-Roch theorem gives $h^0({\mathcal{O}}_V(1))=3$, since $\mathrm{deg}(K-3P_0)=-3$ forces the dual term to vanish. Thus this section is some nonzero $H$, proving $V\cap V(H)=\{P\}$, with intersection multiplicity three. This is the three-torsion points are flexes of a plane cubic property.

Projection forgetting $X_3$ defines a morphism $W\to V$: its only possible indeterminacy point $(0:0:0:1)$ does not satisfy the second equation. It is a double cover. Away from the zeros of $H_1{H}_2$, its two square roots are distinct. Each line intersects $V$ in three simple points, since it is nowhere tangent; the two triples are disjoint because the lines do not meet on $V$. In a local trivialization near any of these six points the covering equation is $s^2=ua(u)$ with $a(0)\ne 0$, so the ramification index is two. There is no other ramification. The Riemann-Hurwitz formula therefore gives

Put $f=[k_L:k]$. For an unramified extension the ramification index is one and $[L:K]=f$. The residue $\bar{\alpha }$ has degree $f$ over $k$. Thus $1,\alpha ,\dots ,{\alpha }^{f-1}$ are linearly independent over $K$: a nonzero linear dependence can be divided by a coefficient of least valuation and reduced to a nonzero relation among the reduced powers. Hence $[K(\alpha ):K]\ge f=[L:K]$, and $\alpha$ generates $L$.

The same argument gives the integral statement, which is stronger than merely generating the field. WriteIf $m={\min }_j{v}_K(c_j)$, divide by ${\pi }_K^m$. Since ${\pi }_K$ remains a uniformizer in the unramified extension and the reduced powers form a basis of $k_L/k$, the resulting sum has nonzero residue. Therefore $v_L(x)=m$. In particular $x$ is integral if and only if every coefficient is integral. This proves unramified residue generator integral basis:

Let $L/K$ be a finite Galois extension of non-Archimedean local fields, with Galois group $G$, normalized valuation $v_L$, integer ring ${\mathcal{O}}_L$, and residue characteristic $p$. The lower ramification numbering isThese higher ramification groups measure successively finer agreement with the identity. The group $G_0$ is the inertia group, the kernel of the action on the residue field. Each $G_i$ is normal in $G$: conjugation permutes integral elements and preserves their valuations. The groups eventually become trivial, since each nonidentity automorphism moves some integral element and its displacement has finite valuation.

Let $K_0=L^{G_0}$, the maximal unramified subextension of a local field extension. Then $G/G_0$ is the Galois group of the residue extension, cyclic and generated by a Frobenius automorphism. For a uniformizer $\pi$ of $L$, the uniformizer criterion for lower ramification groups givesTo see why one uniformizer suffices, the extension $L/K_0$ is totally ramified and its integer ring is ${\mathcal{O}}_{K_0}[\pi ]$. Elements of $G_0$ fix its coefficients. Differences of powers of $\pi$ are divisible by $\sigma \pi -\pi$, so the valuation bound for $\pi$ implies it for every integral element. The converse follows by testing $\pi$ itself.

The tame inertia quotient is seen explicitly fromIt is a homomorphism because inertia acts trivially on the residue field, and its kernel is $G_1$. Thus $G_0/G_1$ is cyclic of order not divisible by $p$. For $i\ge 1$, the homomorphismhas kernel $G_{i+1}$. Indeed composing two automorphisms adds the leading displacements, since $\sigma \pi /\pi \equiv 1$ and inertia fixes residue coefficients. Hence each $G_i/G_{i+1}$ is an elementary abelian p-group. Eventual triviality makes $G_1$ a p-group; the prime-to-p quotient makes it the unique Sylow subgroup of $G_0$. This is the wild inertia group. Tame ramification means $G_1=1$.

The filtration also measures the different exponent. For the totally ramified extension over $K_0$, the minimal polynomial of an algebraic element $g$ of $\pi$ has polynomial roots $\sigma \pi$, $\sigma \in G_0$. The derivative formula givesFor a fixed $\sigma$, its displacement valuation is the number of indices $i\ge 0$ for which it belongs to $G_i$. Interchanging the finite sums therefore gives different exponent from ramification groups:The unramified part contributes zero. More generally different in a tower follows by taking products of bases of a module dual for the trace pairing, and givesThus a tame extension has different exponent $e-1$, while nontrivial wild groups contribute additional positive terms.

The lower numbering restricts to subgroups: if $H=\mathrm{Gal}(L/E)$, its groups are $H_i=H\cap G_i$, directly from the definition using the same top-field valuation. Quotients need a different indexing. For real $s\ge 0$ put $G_s=G_{\lceil s\rceil }$ and define the Herbrand functionThis upper ramification numbering stretches or compresses intervals according to the inertia indices. The quotient theorem says that for a normal subgroup $H$, upper ramification groups commute with quotients:In particular the same upper index has a meaning compatible with passing to a smaller Galois extension, which lower indices generally lack.

For a tame totally ramified extension the picture is simple: $G_0=G$, all $G_i$ with $i\ge 1$ are trivial, and the different exponent is $|G|-1$. The extension ${\mathbb{Q}}_p({\zeta }_p)$ for odd $p$ illustrates this, giving exponent $p-2$.

A mixed-characteristic wild family is the lower ramification filtration of a prime-power cyclotomic extension. Take $L={\mathbb{Q}}_p({\zeta }_{p^r})$ with odd $p$ and $\pi ={\zeta }_{p^r}-1$. If ${\sigma }_a(\zeta )={\zeta }^a$ and $a\ne 1$ modulo $p^r$, thenThe last equality follows because ${\zeta }^{a-1}$ has order $p^{r-v_p(a-1)}$ and its uniformizer valuation scales by the ramification index in that cyclotomic tower. The lower breaks are $0,p-1,p^2-1,\dots ,p^{r-1}-1$. Integrating the successive indices $(p-1),p(p-1),\dots$ gives upper breaks $0,1,\dots ,r-1$.

In equal characteristic there is an equally explicit wild example. Start with $K={\mathbb{F}}_q((t))$ and an Artin–Schreier extensionThere is no polynomial root in $K$: a negative-valuation element has $v(x^p-x)=pv(x)$, while the right side has valuation $-m$. Adjoining a polynomial root splits the polynomial, whose polynomial roots are $y+c$ for $c\in {\mathbb{F}}_p$, so the extension is cyclic of degree $p$. The valuation equation forces total ramification, $v_L(t)=p$ and $v_L(y)=-m$. Choose $1\le b\le p-1$ with $-bm\equiv 1(\mathrm{mod}p)$ and set $a=(1+bm)/p$. Then $\pi =t^a{y}^b$ is a uniformizer. For a nonidentity automorphism $y\mapsto y+c$,the first binomial coefficient $b$ is nonzero modulo $p$, and all subsequent terms have strictly higher valuation. ThereforeThis is the ramification break of an Artin–Schreier pole. It shows concretely that wild breaks, unlike tame inertia, can occur arbitrarily far out in the filtration.

The polynomial is Eisenstein at every prime number $p$, so a polynomial root $\alpha$ generates a totally ramified cubic field $F/{\mathbb{Q}}_p$. The splitting-field Galois group is a transitive subgroup of $S_3$, hence $C_3$ or $S_3$. Its polynomial discriminant isThe product of the three polynomial root differences is a square root of $\Delta$, transformed by the sign of the polynomial root permutation. Thus the group is $C_3$ exactly when $\Delta$ is a square, and otherwise it is $S_3$. In the latter case the splitting field isIndeed adjoining one polynomial root leaves a quadratic factor, whose polynomial discriminant is $\Delta /f^{\prime }(\alpha {)}^2$, so the square root of $\Delta$ supplies its remaining polynomial roots.

Suppose first that $p>3$. The unit $-(4p+27)$ reduces to $-27$, and Hensel's lemma makes it a square exactly when $-3$ is a square modulo $p$. Quadratic reciprocity givesIf $p\equiv 1(\mathrm{mod}3)$, the field generated by $\alpha$ is already the cyclic splitting field, totally ramified of degree three. If $p\equiv 2(\mathrm{mod}3)$, the nonsquare unit gives an unramified quadratic field $E={\mathbb{Q}}_p(\sqrt{\Delta })$. Since $F$ and $E$ have coprime degrees, $[FE:{\mathbb{Q}}_p]=6$. Its residue degree is at least two and its ramification index at least three; their product is six, so they are exactly two and three. Thus its inertia group is the normal $C_3$ inside $S_3$.

In both cases the ramification index is three and is not divisible by $p$. The wild inertia group is trivial, so all positive lower groups are trivial. As a different check, $f^{\prime }(\alpha )=3{\alpha }^2+p$ has valuation two in $F$ when $p>3$, agreeing with tame different exponent $3-1$.

For $p=3$ the polynomial discriminant is $-351=-3^3\cdot 13$, which is nonsquare. Hence $G=S_3$. The quadratic subfield can be written $E={\mathbb{Q}}_3(\beta )$ with ${\beta }^2=-39$. It is ramified of degree two, by the Eisenstein polynomial $T^2+39$. Together with the totally ramified cubic field this forces $e(L/{\mathbb{Q}}_3)$ to be divisible by both two and three. Since $[L:{\mathbb{Q}}_3]=6$, the splitting field is totally ramified. In its normalized valuation,

All differences between distinct polynomial roots have the same valuation, since $S_3$ permutes the polynomial root pairs and preserves the absolute value on a field. Alsohas valuation six, so each polynomial root difference has valuation three. A nonidentity three-cycle fixes $\beta$, and thereforeThe transposition fixing $\alpha$ negates $\beta$, so sends $\pi$ to $-\pi$ and has displacement valuation $v_L(2\pi )=1$. The other transpositions have the same value by conjugacy. The uniformizer criterion now determines every group:For the wild case the different exponent is $5+2=7$. Independently, the cubic subfield has different exponent $v_F(3({\alpha }^2+1))=3$, and the quadratic extension $L/F$ is tame with exponent one. The tower formula gives $1+2\cdot 3=7$, confirming the filtration. Its positive upper break is $1/2$, because $[G_0:G_1]=2$. This completes ramification of the splitting field of X3 plus pX plus p for every odd prime number.

For a complete discretely valued field with perfect residue field $k$, the Witt residue sequence is the split exact sequenceThe first map identifies the unramified Brauer classes. The residue map is canonical; a splitting is chosen by a uniformizer $\pi$ and sends an unramified character $\chi$ to the cyclic Brauer class $(\chi ,\pi )$. Changing $\pi$ may change this splitting by an unramified class. This is the version of Witt's theorem used here.

Now suppose $k={\mathbb{F}}_q$. Fix arithmetic Frobenius $F_k:a\mapsto a^q$. Define the local Brauer invariant byHere is an explicit cohomological construction. Set $E=K^{\mathrm{nr}}$ and $G=\mathrm{Gal}(E/K)\cong \hat{\mathbb{Z}}$. The permitted vanishing $\mathrm{Br}(E)=0$, together with Hilbert 90 and inflation, identifies $\mathrm{Br}(K)$ with $H^2(G,E^{\times })$. Normalize the valuation $v(\pi )=1$. Its induced map sends a multiplicative two-cocycle $c$ to the integer-valued two-cocycle $v(c)$, givingThe middle isomorphism is the connecting map for $0\to \mathbb{Z}\to \mathbb{Q}\to \mathbb{Q}/\mathbb{Z}\to 0$, since positive-degree continuous cohomology of the trivial module $\mathbb{Q}$ vanishes.

To see that the valuation map is an isomorphism, its module sequence splits using $\pi$, and the unit part has zero second cohomology. For each finite unramified cyclic extension $E_m/K$, cyclic cohomology identifies that unit contribution with ${\mathcal{O}}_K^{\times }/N_{E_m/K}{\mathcal{O}}_{E_m}^{\times }$. The norm on residue-field units is surjective. On the principal-unit quotient of level $r\ge 1$, the norm is the residue trace, through $N(1+{\pi }^{r}b)\equiv 1+{\pi }^r\mathrm{Tr}(\overline{b})(\mathrm{mod}{\pi }^{r+1})$. The trace of a finite separable field extension is surjective; successive corrections and completeness therefore make the norm surjective on all units. Passing to the direct limit gives the asserted vanishing. Finally, a continuous character of $\hat{\mathbb{Z}}$ is uniquely specified by its value on arithmetic Frobenius, and that value can be any element of $\mathbb{Q}/\mathbb{Z}$. The invariant map is an isomorphism.

In concrete terms, if $E_m/K$ is the unramified extension of degree $m$ and $\sigma$ lifts arithmetic Frobenius, the cyclic algebra with $ub=\sigma (b)u$ and $u^m=a$ hasIndeed its standard two-cocycle has value $a$ when the powers of $\sigma$ wrap past $m$ and value one otherwise. Valuation turns this into the connecting cocycle for the character with Frobenius value $v_K(a)/m$. This also fixes the sign of the normalization.

For restriction and corestriction of local Brauer invariants, let $l$ be the residue field of $L$, $e$ the ramification index and $f=[l:k]$. A finite extension of local fields has $[L:K]=ef$, $v_L{|}_K=e{v}_K$ and $v_K(N_{L/K}b)=f{v}_L(b)$. Every class of $\mathrm{Br}(K)$ is $(\chi ,{\pi }_K)$, with $\chi$ unramified. After restriction to $L$, its character has Frobenius value $f\chi (F_k)$ and its parameter has valuation $e$. ThusFor corestriction, write a class of $\mathrm{Br}(L)$ as $({\chi }_l,{\pi }_L)$. Choose a character ${\chi }_k$ of the finite-field absolute group such that ${\mathrm{Res}}_{l/k}{\chi }_k={\chi }_l$. This is possible because restriction is multiplication by $f$ on $\mathbb{Q}/\mathbb{Z}$, which is divisible. Inflate both characters to the local fields. The norm projection formula for cyclic Brauer pairings givesThis projection identity follows from the cohomological transfer and cup-product identity; on multiplicative degree-zero coefficients transfer is the field norm, and the identity in higher degree follows by the cochain definition or dimension shifting. The norm parameter has $K$-valuation $f$, so its invariant is $f{\chi }_k(F_k)={\chi }_l(F_l)$. ThereforeThis argument uses the character-and-norm description directly and does not cancel multiplication by $[L:K]$ in $\mathbb{Q}/\mathbb{Z}$, where such cancellation would be invalid. For purely inseparable steps in equal characteristic, absolute Galois groups identify, restriction uses inclusion of multiplicative coefficient modules, and Brauer corestriction uses the field norm on them. The same projection calculation applies. Factoring a general finite extension into separable and purely inseparable steps covers all finite extensions in the question.

Lastly, a class with invariant $a/b$ in lowest terms has Brauer period $b$. The unramified extension of degree $b$ splits it, so its division-algebra degree divides $b$. Conversely a maximal subfield of the division algebra splits it and has degree equal to that division-algebra degree; the restriction formula forces $b$ to divide that degree. These standard splitting-field properties are among the permitted inputs. Thus the index of a central simple algebra equals its period over a local field. The central division algebras of degree $n$ are exactly those with invariants $a/n$ and $\gcd (a,n)=1$. The Brauer class determines its division representative uniquely, so there areisomorphism classes, where $\phi$ is the Euler totient function. This includes the single degree-one algebra $K$.

Put $C={\bigcup }_{r\ge 1}\mathbb{Q}({\mu }_{p^r})$, where ${\mu }_{p^r}$ is the group of $p^r$th roots of unity. The compatible Galois groups of the cyclotomic fields giveFor odd $p$, the Teichmüller character givesThe p-adic logarithm identifies $1+p{\mathbb{Z}}_p$ with $p{\mathbb{Z}}_p$, which is topologically isomorphic to ${\mathbb{Z}}_p$. More explicitly, $a\mapsto (1+p{)}^a$ is an isomorphism from the additive p-adic integers onto $1+p{\mathbb{Z}}_p$: the logarithm of $1+p$ has valuation one and generates $p{\mathbb{Z}}_p$. Take the fixed field of ${\mu }_{p-1}$ in $C$.

For $p=2$, use insteadThe p-adic logarithm identifies the second factor with $4{\mathbb{Z}}_2$, and $a\mapsto 5^a$ identifies it with ${\mathbb{Z}}_2$. The fixed field of $\{\pm 1\}$ in $C$ is the union of the maximal real subfields of the cyclotomic fields of $2$-power conductor. Thus in both cases the cyclotomic Zp-extension exists:where ${\Delta }_p={\mu }_{p-1}$ for odd $p$ and ${\Delta }_2=\{\pm 1\}$.

The closed subgroup $p^n{\mathbb{Z}}_p$ is the unique subgroup of index $p^n$, so the Galois correspondence supplies the unique degree-$p^n$ field $\mathbb{Q}[p^n]$. In the odd case it is the ${\Delta }_p$-fixed field in $\mathbb{Q}({\mu }_{p^{n+1}})$; in the even case it is the real subfield of $\mathbb{Q}({\mu }_{2^{n+2}})$. These finite layers are all totally real number fields.

Now set $A=\mathbb{Q}[p^n]$, $B=\mathbb{Q}[p^m]$, and let $H_A$ be the ordinary Hilbert class field of $A$. Thus $H_A/A$ is abelian, unramified at finite primes, and split at every real place, with degree $h(A)$. If $m=n$ there is nothing to prove. Otherwise the unique prime over $p$ is totally ramified in $B/A$, by the permitted total-ramification fact and multiplicativity of the ramification index. Any nontrivial intermediate field of $B/A$ is ramified at that prime. HenceIt follows that the two extensions are linearly disjoint field extensions, andUnramified extensions remain unramified after base change. The real places also remain split: $H_A$ and $B$ are totally real, so their compositum is totally real. Therefore $B{H}_A/B$ lies inside the ordinary Hilbert class field $H_B/B$. Its degree divides $[H_B:B]=h(B)$, provingThis is class number divisibility with split real places; using a class-field statement restricted to imaginary fields would unnecessarily omit the present real layers.

Write $\Gamma =\mathrm{Gal}(K_{\infty }/K)\cong {\mathbb{Z}}_p$. Its only finite subgroup is trivial. In particular, a real place cannot acquire complex inertia in this Zp-extension: the possible nontrivial inertia at a real place has order two. Thus every infinite place splits in the tower.

Suppose that no finite prime ramified. Every finite layer would then be an abelian everywhere unramified extension of number fields, including splitting at real places. Every layer would lie in the ordinary Hilbert class field of $K$, a finite extension. Their degrees are unbounded, a contradiction. Therefore some finite prime must ramify.

Let $v$ have residue characteristic $\ell \ne p$. Apply local class field theory to the corresponding decomposition group, a closed subgroup of $\Gamma$. The image of the unit group ${\mathcal{O}}_{K_v}^{\times }$ is the inertia group. Its first principal-unit subgroup is a pro-l group, so its continuous image in the pro-p group $\Gamma$ is trivial. The residue-unit quotient is the finite group ${\mathbb{F}}_{q_v}^{\times }$. Its image is finite, and is therefore also trivial in the torsion-free group ${\mathbb{Z}}_p$. The entire inertia group is trivial. HenceEquivalently, the tame ramification relation with a Frobenius element would force a tame inertia generator to satisfy ${\tau }^{q_v-1}=1$, which is impossible nontrivially in ${\mathbb{Z}}_p$.

For the final assertion, the cyclotomic Zp-extension of $K$ is $K\mathbb{Q}[p^{\infty }]$. Fix $v\mid p$ and put $E=K_v$, a finite extension of ${\mathbb{Q}}_p$. Let $C_n$ be the completion of $\mathbb{Q}[p^n]$ at its unique prime over $p$. This is a totally ramified extension of ${\mathbb{Q}}_p$ of degree $p^n$. In a compatible local algebraic closure,Here the inequality follows from the tower through $C_n$. The right side is unbounded. These composita occur among the completions of the cyclotomic tower over $K$, so $v$ has unbounded ramification index, in particular nontrivial inertia group. ThusThis argument allows an arbitrary finite intersection between $K$ and the rational cyclotomic tower; it does not assume disjointness.

The polynomial is an Eisenstein polynomial at $5$, so it is irreducible and $[K:\mathbb{Q}]=3$. Its polynomial discriminant isOne must remove the index at $2$ before using this as the field discriminant. Put $\beta =({\alpha }^2+\alpha )/2$. Direct reduction using ${\alpha }^3=5\alpha -20$ givesThus $B=\mathbb{Z}+\mathbb{Z}\alpha +\mathbb{Z}\beta$ is a ring finite over $\mathbb{Z}$, so its elements are integral. Its basis has discriminant of elements of a number field $-2575=-5^2\cdot 103$. The discriminant-index formula for an integral lattice says $\mathrm{disc}(B)=[{\mathcal{O}}_K:B{]}^2{\Delta }_K$, so only $5$ could divide the remaining index.

We use these standard different ideal facts: the norm of the different is the absolute field discriminant; its localization is the local different; an unramified prime has different exponent zero, and a tamely ramified prime of ramification index $e$ has different exponent $e-1$. The Eisenstein polynomial at $5$ gives total ramification of degree three, which is tame because $5\nmid 3$. Its contribution to $v_5({\Delta }_K)$ is therefore two. This excludes a further index factor $5$, proving ${\mathcal{O}}_K=B$ and $\boxed{{\Delta }_K=-2575}$.

Since the index $[{\mathcal{O}}_K:\mathbb{Z}[\alpha ]]=2$ is prime to $5$ and $103$, Dedekind factorization theorem applies at both primes. Modulo $5$, $f=X^3$, giving a single prime $\mathfrak{p}=(5,\alpha )$ with residue degree one and ramification index three. Modulo $103$,Thus $\mathfrak{q}=(103,\alpha -6)$ has residue degree one and ramification index two; the other prime over $103$ is unramified. Both ramified primes are tame. No other prime ramifies because none divides ${\Delta }_K$. Consequently

For each finite place $v\in S$, choose $d_v\in K_v^{\times }$ such that $K_v(\sqrt{d_v})/K_v$ is the unramified quadratic extension. Such a choice exists even at residue characteristic two. At odd residue characteristic use a unit with nonsquare residue. At residue characteristic two, choose $\overline{c}$ for which $X^2-X-\overline{c}$ is irreducible over the finite residue field, lift $c$ to ${\mathcal{O}}_v$, and set $d_v=1+4c$. The lifted polynomial has unit derivative at every residue point and gives the unramified degree-two extension; its root is $(1+\sqrt{d_v})/2$.

The square classes are open in $K_v^{\times }$. Indeed the strong form of Hensel lemma applied to $X^2-u$ at $1$ shows that $u$ is a square whenever $v(u-1)>2v(2)$. Thus any sufficiently close approximation $a$ to $d_v$ has $a/d_v$ square. By weak approximation for number fields, choose $a\in K$ satisfying this at every finite $v\in S$. Then the local extensions $K_v(\sqrt{a})$ are all unramified of degree two. At least one such condition ensures $a$ is not a square in $K$. If $S$ contains no finite place, impose the same condition at one auxiliary finite place.

Set $L=K(\sqrt{a})$. At every specified finite prime there is one prime of $L$ above it, with ramification index one and residue degree two. Hence $\boxed{\mathfrak{p}{\mathcal{O}}_L\text{ is prime for every finite }\mathfrak{p}\in S}$. The dyadic case is covered by the unramified construction, rather than by a nonexistent nonsquare residue unit in characteristic two.

Herbrand quotient and local norm indices. Let $G=⟨\sigma ⟩$ have order $n$. For an additive $G$-module $M$, put $D=\sigma -1$ and $N=1+\sigma +\cdots +{\sigma }^{n-1}$. The relevant Tate cohomology of a cyclic group groups areIf both groups are finite, their size ratio is the Herbrand quotientMultiplicative modules use products for $N$ and $D(m)=\sigma (m)/m$. A finite module has quotient one: $\#\ker N=\#M/\#NM$, while $\#DM=\#M/\#M^G$, and the two cohomology orders are equal. The six-term periodic cohomology sequence shows $h(B)=h(A)h(C)$ for a short exact sequence $0\to A\to B\to C\to 0$ when these groups are finite. Thus the quotient is unchanged by finite-index changes of lattices. For the trivial $G$-module $\mathbb{Z}$, the zeroth group is $\mathbb{Z}/n\mathbb{Z}$ and the negative first group is zero, so $h_G(\mathbb{Z})=n$.

Now let $L/K$ be a cyclic extension of p-adic fields of degree $n$. For a sufficiently deep principal unit subgroup $U_L^r=1+{\mathfrak{m}}_L^r$, the p-adic logarithm is a $G$-equivariant isomorphism with the additive p-adic lattice ${\mathfrak{m}}_L^r$; it suffices to take $r>v_L(p)/(p-1)$. The normal basis theorem makes $L$ a regular $K[G]$-module. Consequently ${\mathfrak{m}}_L^r$, as a ${\mathbb{Z}}_p[G]$-lattice, is commensurable with a direct sum of $[K:{\mathbb{Q}}_p]$ copies of ${\mathbb{Z}}_p[G]$. These regular lattices have zero Tate groups: its invariants are the multiples of the sum of the basis elements, every such element is a norm, and vectors with coefficient sum zero are images of $D$. Commensurability and the finite-module calculation give $h_G(U_L^r)=1$. Since $U_L/U_L^r$ is finite, $h_G(U_L)=1$. These comparisons also establish finiteness of the Tate groups concerned.

The valuation exact sequence $1\to U_L\to L^{\times }\to \mathbb{Z}\to 0$ now gives $h_G(L^{\times })=n$. Hilbert theorem 90 makes ${\hat{H}}^{-1}(G,L^{\times })$ trivial. One can prove the cyclic statement directly: for $a$ of norm one set $A_0=1$, $A_i=a\sigma (a)\cdots {\sigma }^{i-1}(a)$ and choose $c$ for which $b={\sum }_i{A}_i{\sigma }^i(c)\ne 0$. Such a $c$ exists by linear independence of distinct field automorphisms. Then $\sigma (b)=b/a$, so $a=b/\sigma (b)$ is a coboundary. Therefore the local cyclic norm index isThis is the central use of the Herbrand quotient: it calculates a norm index without first constructing the local reciprocity map.

Let $e,f$ be the ramification index and residue degree. With normalized integer valuations, $v_K(Nx)=f{v}_L(x)$. A norm is a unit exactly when its preimage is a unit, and the norm valuations fill $f\mathbb{Z}$. Hence there is an exact sequenceThe unit norm index is $\boxed{[{\mathcal{O}}_K^{\times }:N{\mathcal{O}}_L^{\times }]=e}$. In an unramified extension all units are norms and the obstruction is the valuation modulo $n$; in a totally ramified cyclic extension the entire index comes from units. The norm subgroup is open: on deep principal units, logarithm carries the norm to the field trace, and the trace of a full p-adic lattice contains a sufficiently deep p-adic lattice in $K$.

Hilbert norm residue symbol and the local-to-global principle. More generally, for a local field $F$ containing ${\mu }_m$, fix the local reciprocity map ${\mathrm{rec}}_F$ with uniformizers acting as arithmetic Frobenius on unramified extensions. The Hilbert norm residue symbol isThis is independent of the chosen root, is bilinear, and has value one exactly when $b$ is a norm from $F(a^{1/m})$. These are standard consequences of Local Artin reciprocity. The case $m=2$, for which the values are signs, is the one directly governing quadratic forms. The quadratic Hilbert symbol at a place $v$ is defined for $a,b\in K_v^{\times }$ bywith value one for all $b$ when $a$ is a square. Equivalently it is one precisely when $z^2=a{x}^2+b{y}^2$ has a nonzero solution over $K_v$. For nonsquare $a$, a solution has $y\ne 0$ and gives $b=(z/y{)}^2-a(x/y{)}^2$; the converse follows from the same norm identity. When $a$ is square the conic is already isotropic. Symmetry follows from this conic criterion. The local cyclic norm index gives a norm subgroup of index two; its sign character is multiplicative in $b$, and symmetry gives multiplicativity in $a$. Thus the symbol is a nondegenerate bilinear pairing on the square-class group of a field, since every nonsquare $a$ gives a nontrivial norm character. Also $(a,-a{)}_v=1$, because $N(\sqrt{a})=-a$, and $(a,a{)}_v=(a,-1{)}_v$.