Let $p$ be a prime. We produce two new families of pro-$p$ groups which are not realizable as absolute Galois groups of fields. To prove this we use the 1-smoothness property of absolute Galois pro-$p$ groups. Moreover, we show in these families one has one-relator pro-$p$ groups which may not be ruled out as absolute Galois groups employing the quadraticity of Galois cohomology (a consequence of Rost-Voevodsky Theorem), or the vanishing of Massey products in Galois cohomology.
Let p be a prime. We study pro-p groups of p-absolute Galois type, as defined by Lam-Liu-Sharifi-Wake-Wang. We prove that the pro-p completion of the right-angled Artin group associated to a chordal simplicial graph is of p-absolute Galois type, and moreover it satisfies a strong version of the Massey vanishing property. Also, we prove that Demushkin groups are of p-absolute Galois type, and that the free pro-p product -- and, under certain conditions, the direct product -- of two pro-p groups of p-absolute Galois type satisfying the Massey vanishing property is again a pro-p group of p-absolu…
The main problem this thesis deals with is the characterization of profinite groups which are realizable as absolute Galois groups of fields: this is currently one of the major problems in Galois theory. Usually one reduces the problem to the pro-$p$ case, i.e., one would like to know which pro-$p$ groups occur as maximal pro-$p$ Galois groups, i.e., maximal pro-$p$ quotients of absolute Galois groups. Indeed, pro-$p$ groups are easier to deal with than general profinite groups, yet they carry a lot of information on the whole absolute Galois group. We define a new class of pro-$p$ groups, cal…
For prime power $q=p^d$ and a field $F$ containing a root of unity of order $q$ we show that the Galois cohomology ring $H^*(G_F,\dbZ/q)$ is determined by a quotient $G_F^{[3]}$ of the absolute Galois group $G_F$ related to its descending $q$-central sequence. Conversely, we show that $G_F^{[3]}$ is determined by the lower cohomology of $G_F$. This is used to give new examples of pro-$p$ groups which do not occur as absolute Galois groups of fields.
By two well-known results, one of Ax, one of Lubotzky and van den Dries, a profinite group is projective iff it is isomorphic to the absolute Galois group of a pseudo-algebraically closed field. This paper gives an analogous characterization of relatively projective profinite groups as absolute Galois groups of regularly closed fields.
We describe the Sylow subgroups of Gal(Q) for an odd prime p, by observing and studying their decomposition as a semidirect product of Z_p acting on F, where F is a free pro-p group, and Z_p are the p-adic integers. We determine the finite Z_p-quotients of F and more generally show that every split embedding problem of Z_p-groups for F is solvable. Moreover, we analyze the Z_p-action on generators of F.
Field Arithmetic studies the interplay between arithmetical properties of fields and their absolute Galois groups. Here we studies fields satisfying local global principles for rational points of varieties and profinite groups satisfying local global principles for solvability of embedding problems.
In this paper we concentrate on the relations between the structure of small Galois groups, arithmetic of fields, Bloch-Kato conjecture, and Galois groups of maximal pro-$p$-quotients of absolute Galois groups.
This is a report of a talk given at the Oberwolfach workshop on "cohomology of finite groups: Interactions and applications" which was held during July 25th - July 31st, 2010. It is an announcement of some of the results (with motivation) and their applications from the paper "Quotients of absolute Galois groups which determine the entire Galois cohomology"; see arXiv:0905.1364.
For a quadratic field K, we investigate continuous mod p representations of the absolute Galois groups of K that are unramified away from p and infinity. We prove that for certain pairs (K,p), there are no such irreducible representations. We also list some imaginary quadratic fields for which such irreducible representations exist. As an application, we look at elliptic curves with good reduction away from 2 over quadratic fields.
Proofs that an arbitrary field has a separable closure are necessarily non-constructive, and separable closures are unique only up to non-canonical isomorphism. This means that the absolute Galois group of a field is defined only up to inner automorphism. Here we construct a profinite algebraic group which is an inner form of the absolute Galois group. Our construction uses no form of the axiom of choice, and the group is defined up to canonical isomorphism. We also show that the Frobenius associated with a prime of a number field unramified in an extension, which is classically defined only u…
We present several constraints on the absolute Galois groups G_F of fields F containing a primitive pth root of unity, using restrictions on the cohomology of index p normal subgroups from a previous paper by three of the authors. We first classify all maximal p-elementary abelian-by-order p quotients of such G_F. In the case p>2, each such quotient contains a unique closed index p elementary abelian subgroup. This seems to be the first case in which one can completely classify nontrivial quotients of absolute Galois groups by characteristic subgroups of normal subgroups. We then derive analog…
We observe that some basic but fundamental constructions in Galois theory can be used to obtain some interesting restrictions on the structure of Galois groups of maximal $p$-extensions of fields containing a primitive $p$th root of unity. This is an extension of some significant ideas of Demushkin, Labute and Serre from local fields to all fields containing a primitive $p$th root of unity. Our techniques use certain natural simple Galois extensions together with some considerations in Galois cohomology and Massey products.
The main purpose of this paper is to extend results on isomorphism types of the abelianized absolute Galois group $\mathcal G_K^{ab}$, where $K$ denotes imaginary quadratic field. In particular, we will show that if the class number $h_K$ of an imaginary quadratic field $K$ different from $\mathbb Q(i)$, $\mathbb Q(\sqrt{-2})$ is a fixed prime number $p$ then there are only two isomorphism types of $\mathcal G_K^{ab}$ which could occur. For instance, this result implies that imaginary quadratic fields of the discriminant $D_K$ belonging to the set $\{-35, -51, -91, -115, -123, -187, -235,$ $ -…
We present several constraints on the absolute Galois groups G_F of fields F containing a primitive pth root of unity, using restrictions on the cohomology of index p normal subgroups from a previous paper by three of the authors. We first classify all maximal p-elementary abelian-by-order p quotients of such G_F. In the case p>2, each such quotient contains a unique closed index p elementary abelian subgroup. This seems to be the first case in which one can completely classify nontrivial quotients of absolute Galois groups by characteristic subgroups of normal subgroups. We then derive analog…
Our aim of this and subsequent papers is to enlighten (a part of, presumably) arithmetic structures of knots. This paper introduces a notion of profinite knots which extends topological knots and shows its various basic properties. Particularly an action of the absolute Galois group of the rational number field on profinite knots is rigorously established, which is attained by our extending the action of Drinfeld's Grothendieck-Teichmüller group on profinite braid groups into on profinite knots.
We prove that certain fields have the property that their absolute Galois groups are free as profinite groups: the function field of a real curve with no real points; the maximal abelian extension of a 2-variable Laurent series field over a separably closed field; and the maximal abelian extension of the function field of a curve over a finite field. These results are related to generalizations of Shafarevich's conjecture.
The main purpose of this paper is to describe the abelian part $\mathcal G^{ab}_{K}$ of the absolute Galois group of a global function field $K$ as pro-finite group. We will show that the characteristic $p$ of $K$ and the non $p$-part of the class group of $K$ are determined by $\mathcal G^{ab}_{K}$. The converse is almost true: isomorphism type of $\mathcal G_K^{ab}$ as pro-finite group is determined by the invariant $d_K$ of the constant field $\mathbb F_q$ introduced in first section and the non $p$-part of the class group.
Let $p$ be a prime number, $F$ a field containing a root of unity of order $p$, and $G_F$ the absolute Galois group. Extending results of Hopkins, Wickelgren, Minac and Tan, we prove that the triple Massey product $H^1(G_F)^3\to H^2(G_F)$ contains $0$ whenever it is nonempty. This gives a new restriction on the possible profinite group structure of $G_F$.
Given an object over the algebraic closure Qbar of Q, there is often no reason for invariants of the corresponding holomorphic object to be preserved by the absolute Galois group Gal(Qbar/Q), and in general this is not true, although it is sometimes surprising to observe in practice. The case of covers of the projective line branched only over the points 0, 1, and infinity, through Belyi's theorem, leads to Grothendieck's dessins d'enfants program for understanding the absolute Galois group through its faithful action on such covers. This note is motivated by Catanese's question about a higher…
Geometric properties of homomorphisms between the absolute Galois groups of mixed-characteristic complete discrete valuation fields with perfect residue fields
Based on the analogies between mapping class groups and absolute Galois groups, we introduce an arithmetic pro-$\ell$ analogue of Orr invariants for a Galois element associated with Galois action on étale fundamental groups of punctured projective lines. At the same time, we also introduce pro-$\ell$ Orr space as an arithmetic analogue of Orr space whose third homotopy group is a target group of Orr invariant. We then determine its rank as $\mathbb{Z}_{\ell}$-module following Igusa-Orr's computation. Moreover, we investigate its relation with Ellenberg's obstruction to $π_1$-sections associate…
Let $p$ be an odd prime number and $F$ a field containing a primitive $p$th root of unity. We prove a new restriction on the group-theoretic structure of the absolute Galois group $G_F$ of $F$. Namely, the third subgroup $G_F^{(3)}$ in the descending $p$-central sequence of $G_F$ is the intersection of all open normal subgroups $N$ such that $G_F/N$ is 1, $\mathbb{Z}/p^2$, or the modular group $M_{p^3}$ of order $p^3$.
In this article we consider outer Galois actions on a free profinite group of rank two, induced by the étale fundamental group of a projective line minus three points or of a pointed elliptic curve over a number field. Under mild technical assumptions their respective images uniquely determine the curves and the number fields.
We study the relationship between the local and global Galois theory of function fields over a complete discretely valued field. We give necessary and sufficient conditions for local separable extensions to descend to global extensions, and for the local absolute Galois group to inject into the global absolute Galois group. As an application we obtain a local-global principle for the index of a variety over such a function field. In this context we also study algebraic versions of van Kampen's theorem, describing the global absolute Galois group as a pushout of local absolute Galois groups.
For a list $\cal{L}$ of finite groups and for a profinite group $G$, we consider the intersection $T(G)$ of all open normal subgroups $N$ of $G$ with $G/N$ in $\cal{L}$. We give a cohomological characterization of the epimorphisms $π\colon S\to G$ of profinite groups (satisfying some additional requirements) such that $π[T(S)]=T(G)$. For $p$ prime, this is used to describe cohomologically the profinite groups $G$ whose $n$th term $G_{(n,p)}$ (resp., $G^{(n,p)}$) in the $p$-Zassenhaus filtration (resp., lower $p$-central filtration) is an intersection of this form. When $G=G_F$ is the absolute …
A splitting field of a central simple algebra is said to be absolute Galois if it is Galois over some fixed subfield of the centre of the algebra. The paper provides an existence theorem for such fields over global fields with enough roots of unity. As an application, all twisted function fields and all twisted Laurent series rings over symbol algebras (or p-algebras) over global fields are crossed products. A closely related statement holds for division algebras over Henselian valued fields with global residue field. The existence of absolute Galois splitting fields in central simple algebras…
We investigate the Galois cohomology of finitely generated maximal pro-$p$ quotients of absolute Galois groups. Assuming the well-known conjectural description of these groups, we show that Galois cohomology has the PBW property. Hence in particular it is a Koszul algebra. This answers positively a conjecture by Positselski in this case. We also provide an analogous unconditional result about Pythagorean fields. Moreover, we establish some results that relate the quadratic dual of Galois cohomology with $p$-Zassenhaus filtration on the group. This paper also contains a survey of Koszul propert…
We show that the absolute Galois group of any field has the vanishing triple Massey product property. Several corollaries for the structure of maximal pro-$p$-quotient of absolute Galois groups are deduced. Furthermore, the vanishing of some higher Massey products is proved.
Let $F$ be a field of characteristic $0$ containing all roots of unity. We construct a functorial compact Hausdorff space $X_F$ whose profinite fundamental group agrees with the absolute Galois group of $F$, i.e. the category of finite covering spaces of $X_F$ is equivalent to the category of finite extensions of $F$. The construction is based on the ring of rational Witt vectors of $F$. In the case of the cyclotomic extension of $\mathbb{Q}$, the classical fundamental group of $X_F$ is a (proper) dense subgroup of the absolute Galois group of $F$. We also discuss a variant of this constructio…
It is proved that every two-dimensional residual Galois representation of the absolute Galois group of an arbitrary number field lifts to a characteristic zero $p$-adic representation, if local lifting problems at places above $p$ are unobstructed.
We establish the faithfulness of a geometric action of the absolute Galois group of the rationals that can be defined on the discriminantal variety associated to a finite complex reflection group, and review some possible connections with the profinite Grothendieck-Teichmüller group.
We show that the Galois group $Gal(\bar{\Q} /\Q)$ operates faithfully on the set of connected components of the moduli spaces of surfaces of general type, and also that for each element $σ\in Gal(\bar{\Q} /\Q)$ different from the identity and from complex conjugation, there is a surface of general type such that $X$ and the Galois conjugate variety $X^σ$ have nonisomorphic fundamental groups. The result was announced by the second author at the Alghero Conference 'Topology of algebraic varieties' in september 2006. Before the present paper was actually written, we received a very interesting p…
We present a method for computing complete lists of number fields in cases where the Galois group, as an abstract group, appears as a Galois group in smaller degree. We apply this method to find the twenty-five octic fields with Galois group $\textrm{PSL}_2(7)$ and smallest absolute discriminant. We carry out a number of related computations, including determining the octic field with Galois group $2^3{:}\textrm{GL}_3(2)$ of smallest absolute discriminant.
A main problem in Galois theory is to characterize the fields with a given absolute Galois group. We apply a K-theoretic method for constructing valuations to study this problem in various situations. As a first application we obtain an algebraic proof of the 0-dimensional case of Grothendieck's anabelian conjecture (proven by Pop), which says that finitely generated infinite fields are determined up to purely inseparable extensions by their absolute Galois groups. As a second application (which is a joint work with Fesenko) we analyze the arithmetic structure of fields with the same absolute …
We examine which representations of the absolute Galois group of a field of finite characteristic with image over a finite field of the same characteristic may be constructed by the Galois group's action on the division points of an appropriate Drinfeld module.
When monic integral polynomials of degree $n \geq 2$ are ordered by the maximum of the absolute value of their coefficients, the Hilbert irreducibility theorem implies that asymptotically 100% are irreducible and have Galois group isomorphic to $S_n$. In particular, amongst such polynomials whose coefficients are bounded by $B$ in absolute value, asymptotically $(1+o(1))(2B+1)^n$ are irreducible and have Galois group $S_n$. When $G$ is a proper transitive subgroup of $S_n$, however, the asymptotic count of polynomials with Galois group $G$ has been determined only in very few cases. Here, we s…
Suppose \( ρ_1 \) and \( ρ_2 \) are two pure Galois representations of the absolute Galois group of a number field $K$ of weights \( k_1 \) and \( k_2 \) respectively, having equal normalized Frobenius traces \( Tr(ρ_1(σ_v)) /Nv^{k_1/2}\) and \( Tr(ρ_2(σ_v)) /Nv^{k_2/2}\) at a set of primes \( v\) of $K$ with positive upper density. Assume further that the algebraic monodromy group of $ρ_1$ is connected and the repesentation is absolutely irreducible. We prove that \( ρ_1 \) and \( ρ_2 \) are twists of each other by power of a Tate twist times a character of finite order. We apply this to modu…
We describe algorithms to compute fixed fields, splitting fields and towers of radical extensions without using polynomial factorisation in towers or constructing any field containing the splitting field, instead extending Galois group computations for this task. We also describe the computation of geometric Galois groups (monodromy groups) and their use in computing absolute factorizations.
This is a revision of the paper that was previously entitled "Weighted Completion of Galois Groups and Some Conjectures of Deligne". Fix a prime number $ł$. We prove a conjecture stated by Ihara, which he attributes to Deligne, about the action of the absolute Galois group on the pro-$ł$ completion of the fundamental group of the thrice punctured projective line. Similar techniques are also used to prove part of a conjecture of Goncharov, also about the action of the absolute Galois group on the fundamental group of the thrice punctured projective line. The main technical tool is the weighted …
We introduce Galois families of modular forms. They are a new kind of family coming from Galois representations of the absolute Galois groups of rational function fields over the rational field. We exhibit some examples and provide an infinite Galois family of non-liftable weight one Katz modular eigenforms over an algebraic closure of F_p for p in {3,5,7,11}.
A major open problem in current Galois theory is to characterize those profinite groups which appear as absolute Galois groups of various fields. Obtaining detailed knowledge of the structure of quotients and subgroup filtrations of Galois groups of $p$-extensions is an important step toward a solution. We illustrate several techniques for counting Galois $p$-extensions of various fields, including pythagorean fields and local fields. An expression for the number of extensions of a formally real pythagorean field having Galois group the dihedral group of order 8 is developed. We derive a formu…
We construct various explicit Herr complexes that compute the Galois cohomology of a $p$-adic representation of the absolute Galois group of a complete discrete valuation field of characteristic $0$ with a perfect residue field of characteristic $p$, using the associated $(φ,τ)$-modules (defined by Xavier Caruso), instead of $(φ,Γ)$-modules. We also give an application to $p$-divisible groups.
We construct moduli stacks of two-dimensional mod p representations of the absolute Galois group of a p-adic local field, and relate their geometry to the weight part of Serre's conjecture for GL(2).
We establish the automorphy of some families of 2-dimensional representations of the absolute Galois group of a totally real field, which do not satisfy the so-called `Taylor--Wiles hypothesis'. We apply this to the problem of the modularity of elliptic curves over totally real fields
