In algebraic number theory, through completion, the study of ramification of a prime ideal can often be reduced to the case of local fields where a more detailed analysis can be carried out with the aid of tools such as ramification groups.
In this article, a local field is non-archimedean and has finite residue field.
Unramified extension
Let L / K {\displaystyle L/K} be a finite Galois extension of nonarchimedean local fields with finite residue fields ℓ / k {\displaystyle \ell /k} and Galois group G {\displaystyle G} . Then the following are equivalent.
- (i) L / K {\displaystyle L/K} is unramified.
- (ii) O L / p O L {\displaystyle {\mathcal {O}}_{L}/{\mathfrak {p}}{\mathcal {O}}_{L}} is a field, where p {\displaystyle {\mathfrak {p}}} is the maximal ideal of O K {\displaystyle {\mathcal {O}}_{K}} .
- (iii) [ L : K ] = [ ℓ : k ] {\displaystyle [L:K]=[\ell :k]}
- (iv) The inertia subgroup of G {\displaystyle G} is trivial.
- (v) If π {\displaystyle \pi } is a uniformizing element of K {\displaystyle K} , then π {\displaystyle \pi } is also a uniformizing element of L {\displaystyle L} .
When L / K {\displaystyle L/K} is unramified, by (iv) (or (iii)), G can be identified with Gal ( ℓ / k ) {\displaystyle \operatorname {Gal} (\ell /k)} , which is finite cyclic.
The above implies that there is an equivalence of categories between the finite unramified extensions of a local field K and finite separable extensions of the residue field of K.
Totally ramified extension
Again, let L / K {\displaystyle L/K} be a finite Galois extension of nonarchimedean local fields with finite residue fields l / k {\displaystyle l/k} and Galois group G {\displaystyle G} . The following are equivalent.
- L / K {\displaystyle L/K} is totally ramified.
- G {\displaystyle G} coincides with its inertia subgroup.
- L = K [ π ] {\displaystyle L=K[\pi ]} where π {\displaystyle \pi } is a root of an Eisenstein polynomial.
- The norm N ( L / K ) {\displaystyle N(L/K)} contains a uniformizer of K {\displaystyle K} .
See also
- Cassels, J.W.S. (1986). Local Fields. London Mathematical Society Student Texts. Vol. 3. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-31525-5. Zbl 0595.12006.
- Weiss, Edwin (1976). Algebraic Number Theory (2nd unaltered ed.). Chelsea Publishing. ISBN 0-8284-0293-0. Zbl 0348.12101.