J
OURNAL DE
T
HÉORIE DES
N
OMBRES DE
B
ORDEAUX
M
ARTIN
E
PKENHANS
An analogue of Pfister’s local-global principle
in the burnside ring
Journal de Théorie des Nombres de Bordeaux, tome
11, n
o1 (1999),
p. 31-44
<http://www.numdam.org/item?id=JTNB_1999__11_1_31_0>
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Article numérisé dans le cadre du programme Numérisation de documents anciens mathématiques
An
Analogue
of
Pfister’s
Local-Global
Principle
in
the
Burnside
Ring
par MARTIN EPKENHANS
RÉSUMÉ. Soit
N/K
une extensiongaloisienne
de groupe deGa-lois G. On étudie l’ensemble
T(G)
des combinaisons linéaires surZ de caractères de l’anneau de Burnside
B(G),
qui induisent des combinaisons Z-linéaires des formes trace de sous-extensions deN/K
qui sont triviales dans l’anneau de WittW(K)
de K. On montre que le sous-groupe de torsion deB(G)/T(G)
est le noyau del’homomorphisme signature.
ABSTRACT. Let
N/K
be a Galois extension with Galois group G. Westudy
the setT(G)
of Z-linear combinations of charactersin the Burnside
ring
B(G)
whichgive
rise to Z-linear combina-tions of trace forms of subextensions ofN/K
which are trivial in the Wittring
W(K)
of K. Inparticular,
we prove that thetorsion
subgroup
ofB(G)/T(G)
coincides with the kernel of the totalsignature homomorphism.
1. INTRODUCTION
Let
L/K
be afinite,
separable
extension of fields ofcharacteristic #
2.With it we associate the ’trace form’ which is defined
by
trL/K :
L -K : x ~ P.E. Conner started toinvestigate
the connection of the trace form ofL/K
and the trace form of a normal closure ofL/K.
His workyields
somepolynomial vanishing
theorems for trace forms(see
(l~).
These identities come from identities in the Burnsidering
of the Galoisgroup!g
=G(N/K)
ofNjK.
Westudy
the trace ideal in13(~),
which isroughly speaking
the set of Z-linear combinations of trace forms of subextensions ofNj K
which are trivial in the Wittring
W(K)
of K.We first recall the definition of the Burnside
ring
of a finite group9.
A theorem ofSpringer
[6]
gives
rise to ahomomorphism
hN/K :
8(9) -+
W(K).
The trace ideal7(9)
is afinitely generated
subgroup
of the freeabelian group
13(~).
We introduce asignature
homomorphism sign(1 :
13(~) ->
Z for each element Q of order 2. Thesesignature
homo-morphisms correspond
tosignatures
of the Wittring.
We conclude thatmain theorem states that
T(G)
andL(g)
are ofequal
rank. Hence thetorsion
subgroup
of8(Q)jT(Q)
isgiven
by
the kernel of the totalsignature
homomorphism.
In section 7 we reduce ourapproach
to2-groups.
Thegeneral
case followsby
induction via the Frattinisubgroup
ofg.
2. NOTATION
We first fix our notations. Let K be a field. Then K* denotes the
multiplicative
group ofK, K*2
is the group of squares in K*. We writeKS
for a
separable
closure of K.Let
N/K
be a Galoisextension,
thenG(N/K)
denotes the Galois group ofN/K.
If1lG(N/K)
thenNll
is the fixed field of 71 in N. LetAut(K)
be the group of fieldautomorphisms
of K.Now let K be a field of
characteristic #
2. Let benon-degenerate
quadratic
forms over K. Thendet K1b
is the determinant of0.
If p is a realplace
of K thensign,o
is thesignature of 0
withrespect
top. ’ljJ 0
cp is theproduct
of 0
and cp. For m EZ,
mx 1b
is the m-fold sum cp indicates theisometry
of 0
and cp over K. LetL/K
be a field extension.Then
OL
is thelifting of ~
to a form over Lby
scalar extension.W(K)
is the Wittring
of K. Let al, ... , an E K*. Then al, ... , an> is thediagonal
form + ... over K. «a1,... an» = is
the n-fold Pfister form defined
by
2i,... a.~.Let
L/K
be a finite andseparable
field extension. The trace form ofL/K
is the
non-degenerate quadratic
form L 2013~ ~ : ~ ~We denote the trace form also
by
L/K>,
resp L> if no confusion canarise.
Let M be a set. Then
#M
is thecardinality
of M.ord(g) , ord(Q)
is the order of the finitegroup G,
resp. of the element E0.
3. THE BURNSIDE RING
Let 9
be a finite group and let R9
be asubgroup
ofQ.
We denote the transitive actionof G
on the set of left cosets~/~-l
= E91
by
(Q,
The transitive and faithful actionsof 0
on finite sets are inone-to-one
correspondence
with the set ofconjugacy
classes ofsubgroups
of9 -
Asubgroup
7~of 9
induces a transitive action ofdegree
[g : ~-l~,
hencea
representation
of dimension[G :
7~].
Let X1i denote thecorresponding
character. We sometimes write
Xg
to indicate that the character is definedon
g.
Definition 1.
Let g
be a finite group. The Burnsidering
8(Q)
of C
is thefree abelian group
freely
generated
by
the setand with
multiplication given by
where the sum runs over a set of
representatives
of the double cosets inu1
Remark 2. xg is the
multiplicative
identity,
=: Xl is theregular
character.Another way of
defining
themultiplication
is as follows. LetPi : 9 -+
i =
1, 2
berepresentations
of~.
Thenis a
representation
of G x G
onVI &; V2.
According
to thediagonal embedding
x G
therepresentation
Pl (9
p2 restricts to arepresentation
of G
onV2.
For pi =(9,9IUi)
weget PI 0
P219 =
nUU2U-l)).
4. THE HOMOMORPHISM
W(K)
Proposition
3(T.A. Springer). Let N/K
be afinite
Galois extension with Galois groupg.
Then there is awell-defined
ring
homomor-phism
with..., IV / 1B ,/B. n J
for
allsubgroups
1lProof.
Let 1lG
be asubgroup
ofg.
ThenHNIK
is well-defined as a grouphomomorphism
since1 > _ ~ ( N~ ) > _ N~ > .
Now the assertionfollows from the next lemma. El
Lemma 4. Let
N/K
be afinite
Galois extension with Galoisgroup 9 =
G(N/K) .
Letu1, u2
besubgroups of
G(NI K).
Thenwhere the sum runs over a set
of representatives of
the doubleProof.
(see [2], 1.6.2)
Let a E N withNul
=K(a)
and letf
EK[X]
be the minimalpolynomial
of a over K. Set L :=Nu2.
From Frobeniusreciprocity
[5],
2.5.6 weget
1 I 11 , .
where
f = f 1 - ~ ~
f r
is thedecomposition
off
into monic irreduciblepolyno-mials in
L~X~.
Now consider for some monicprime
divisor g
EL[X]
off . Then g
is the minimalpolynomial
of someconjugate
of a over L. HenceNow
The action
of 9
on the roots off
induces an action ofLf2
on the roots off,
which isequivalent
to the action ofLf2
on Each orbit of this actioncorresponds
to a monic irreduciblefactor g
EL[X]
off .
05. THE TRACE IDEAL IN
L3(g)
Definition 5.
Let g
be a finite group. Setwhere the intersection is taken over all Galois extensions
N/K
over all fieldsK of
characteristic 54
2 with Galois groupg.
We callT(9)
thetrace ideal
of
B(9).
6. THE MAIN RESULTS
Theorem 6.
Let 9
be afinite
group. Then the trace ideadT(G)
of
8(9) is
a
free
abelian groupof
rankrank(T(G))
=rank(8(Q))
-#{conjugacy
classes of elementsE 9
of order21.
Theproof
of theorem 6 will beorganized
as follows. We startby
defining
in a rather canonical way
signatures
for elements in the Burnsidering.
By
lemma8,
the trace ideal is contained in the kernelL(9)
of the totalsignature
homomorphism.
Wecompute
the rankL(g)
in lemma 14. Now the assertion follows from theequality
of the ranks ofT(9)
andL(9),
whoseproof
will be thesubject
of sections 7 and 8. In section 7 we reduce theproof
of theorem 6 to2-groups.
Section 8 contains theproof
of theorem 6for
2-groups.
It runs via induction over the Frattinisubgroup
of9.
If 9
is a finite group thenRC(g)
denotes a set ofrepresentatives
of theconjugacy
classes ofsubgroups
of9.
Further,
RC2(9)
denotes a set ofrepresentatives
of theconjugacy
classes of elements of order 1 or 2in!9.
Let~2
be a2-Sylow subgroup
of9.
Then we can chooseRC2(0)
C~2.
Proposition
7. Let K befield,
p be anordering of K.
Thenfor
anysepara-ble
polynomial
f (X)
EK[X]
thesignature of
the traceform
of K[X]/(f(X))
over K
equals
the numberof
real rootsof
f (X)
withrespect
to theordering
p.
For a
proof
see[7].
Lemma 8.
Let G
be afircite
group and let QE 9
be an elementof
order2. Then there is a Galois extension
N/K
of algebraic
nurrtberfields
andan
G(N/K)
such that1.
2.
c(Q)
is inducedby
thecomPlex
conjugation.
Proof.
Set n :=ord(g).
1.
ord (a)
= 2. If n =2,
set K = =Q( vi -1) .
Now let n = 2m > 4. Consider the
quadratic
form 0 =
(m - 1) x
1, -1>11,
-2> as a form overQ.
Thendetqo 0 ‘2
andsignqo
= 0.By
theorems 1 and 3 of[4]
there is a field extensionL/Q
with normal closureN/Q
such that N CC,
G(NIQ) -
C5n
andL/Q
has trace form0.
HereC~n
denotes the
symmetric
group on n elements.Let a E L be a
primitive
element ofL/Q.
Sincesign~
L >= 0 noconjugate
of a is real(see
proposition
7).
Let M : =fal, a- 1, . - - ,
be the set of
conjugates
of a. 1i1 is thecomplex
conjugate
of a E C. LetM be a
bijection
such that for each aE 9
the setconsists of a
pair
ofcomplex conjugate
elements of M. Nowaccording
tothe identification
given by
cp weget
amonomorphism t : 9 -4
S(Q) .:+
S(M) 4
G(N/Q).
Thent(a)
isgiven by
thecomplex conjugation
on N.Set K := Since
t(a)
Et(g)
the field K is real.2. Q = id.
Set 0 =
(n - 1) x
1>12>.Then
detQ1b g
Q*2
andsigriqo
= n. Now chooseL,
N and a E L as above. SincesignQ’lfJ
=signq
L>= n allconjugates
of a are real. Hence L CN C R. Choose any
injection L : 9
Y G(NjQ)
and set K := C R. 0Set
Let
N/K
be a Galois extension with Galois groupG(N/K) _
G.
Let p be a realplace
of K. Thengives
Let H
G
andN1í
=K(a).
By proposition 7,
signp
N~ >
equals
the number of real
conjugates
of a withrespect
to theordering
p. Let Q EG(N/K)
be theautomorphism
which is inducedby
thecomplex
conjugation.
Thensignp
is the number of fixedpoints
of the actionof a > on the set of
conjugates
of a, whichequals
the number of fixedpoints
of the action of Q> on9/1-£.
Therefore theequation
(I)
isalready
determined
by 9
and theconjugacy
class of thecomplex
conjugation
in~.
This leads to the
following
definition.Definition 9. Let Q
E G
be an element of order 2. Let ?~ be asubgroup
of 9
and let Xll E be thecorresponding
character. SetOf course,
signa X1i
= Since ourapproach
is motivatedby
quadratic
form considerations we feel it is more convenient to talk aboutsignatures.
As usual
Cg (a)
denotes the centralizer of o, in9.
LetGoa =
p E91
be the set ofconjugates
of Q in9.
Proposition
10.Let !g
be afinite
group, HG
asubgroup of
ç.
Let QE 6;
be an elementof
order 2. ThenProof.
Consider the action of Q> on~/7~.
Let p E9.
Then is a fixedpoint
if andonly
ifp-1Qp
E ~-l. Hence we can assume thatis a set of r > 0 elements. Let
Obviously
thecardinality
of ~VI is theproduct
of and the number of fixedpoints.
Further,
for i =1, ... ,
r weget
Hence
3.
sign,X-H 54
0if
andonly if 1-l
contains someconjugates of
a.4. Let T
E G
be an elementsof
2. Thensign,X, =,4
0if
andonly
if
Q and T areconjugate
or Q = id.5. Let T and a be two
conjugate
involutions. Then6.
If H
is a normalsubgroup of ~,
thensigna X1l
= 0 or =[9 : 1-£].
sign,
extends to ahomomorphism
onC3(~).
Proposition
12.Let 9
be afinite
group and let QE 9
be an elementof
order 2. Then there is a
unique homorrtorPhism
with
sign,Xu -
0 {fixed
points
of«a>,
Lf)}
for
allsubgroups
Uof
9.
Proof.
We consider therepresentations
and characters over fields ofchar-acteristic 0. Let
p : ~ ->
GL(V)
be theunderlying
representation
of xu. Hence weget
sign,Xu
=trace(p(Q))
=Xu(a).
Sincetrace(A 0 B) =
trace(A) ~ trace(B),
sign,
is aring homomorphism.
D We conclude that7(9)
is contained in the intersection of all kernels ofsignature homomorphisms.
Definition 13.
Let 9
be a finite group. SetLemma 14.
Let 9
be afinite
groupof
order n. Thesystem
of
linearequa-tions
given
by
has
Proof.
Let 1 =id, a2
... , be the r distinct elements of
Con-sider the coefficients for
i, j - 1, ... , r. We
get
e
{7~,~/2}
for i =1,... ,
r.For j
=2, ... ,
r we haveRemark 15.
By
lemma14,
L(G)
is a free abelian group of rankFurther,
T(9)
CL(g)
by
lemma 8 and the remarksfollowing
it. Weget
rank(T(9))
=rank(L(9))
if andonly
if there exists apositive integer a
E Zwith a -
L(9)
CT(9).
By
Pfisterslocal-global
principle,
L(9)
is the set of all X E such thath N / K (X)
is a torsion form for any Galois extensionN/K
withG(N/K) -
G.
Hence the rank formula of theorem 6 isequivalent
to the existence of aninteger 1
E7G, l >
0depending only
on 9
such that21
annihilates for any Galois extensionN/K
with Galois group~.
Since
T(9)
cL(9)
eachsignature
homomorphism
signa
induces aunique
signature homomorphism
sign :
13(G)/T(~) ~
Z. Hence weeasily
get
from Theorem 6:Theorem 16
(Local-Global Principle).
An element X E8(Q) is a
tor-sion element in
8(9)/T(9)
if
andonly if
sign~(X)
= 0for
every a
E 9
of
order 2.
Every
torsion elementsof
B(Q)IT(9)
has2-power
order. 7. REDUCTION TO 2-GROUPSProposition
17.Let!;
be a groupof
odd order. ThenHence = 1.
Proof.
LetN/K
be a Galois extension with Galois group~.
Let L be an intermediate field of
N/K.
Then L>=[L : K] x
1>(see [2],
cor.
1.6.5).
Let X = ThenE1lERC(Q)
°[G :
1 > . Sinceord(G)
isodd,
L(9)
is definedby
theequation
[9 :
= 0(see
corollary
11).
Now the statement aboutthe ranks follows from remark 15. 0
Let
1l, U
besubgroups
of9.
Then therepresentation
definedby
the actionof G
on restricts to arepresentation
of 1l on This defines aring
homomorphism
/"Ithe ’restriction
map’.
Weget
where is a character of ~.
Proposition
18.Let 9
be afinite
group and let H9.
Let cr be ancommutes.
Proof.
Let Ug.
We compute thesignature
ofres
as follows: Restrictthe action
of 9
on9 IU
to 7~. Then count the number of fixedpoints
ofa>
according
to this action. Of course, this numberequals
DThere is an additive but not
multiplicative
corestriction mapcor( :
8(H) -+
8(9)
definedby
corblxlf
=Xu
Proposition
19.Let 9
be afinite
group, H9.
Let be a Gadoisextension with
G(N/K) _
~.
Let s* :W(K) -~
W(Nx)
be thelifting
homomorphism.
Thenand
commute.
Lemma 20. Let 1i
G
befinite
groups.Proof.
1. follows fromproposition
18.2. Choose
RC2(9)
C andapply proposition
18.(b)
LetNI K
be a Galois extension with and let X EB(9)
with
res~(X)
eT(1-£).
Now ores~(X)
= 0 = s* oby
proposition
19.By
a theorem ofSpringer
s* isinjective
(see
[5],
2.5.3).
Thus
hN/K(X)
= 0. 0From X E
T(9)
weget
X Eker(h,N~K),
henceres~(X)
eker(hN/N1-l).
But we do notget
res~(X)
e Weonly
get
res~(X)
en
where the intersection runs over all Galois extensionsN/K
with Galoisgroup C
and suchthat g
Aut(N).
Let
exp(9)
denote theexponent
of9.
Proposition
21. be afinite
group and let92
be a2-Sylow
subgroup
of 9.
1. Then the rank
formula
of
theorem 6 holdsfor 9
if it
holdsfor
any2-Sylow subgroup of 9,
in which case divides theex--ponet
2.
Suppose
there is a set Xof fields
suchthat 9
Aut(N)
for
any N E Xand such that
Then X E
T(9)
only if
ET(92).
HenceL(9)/T(9)
isisomorphic
to asubgroup of
L(92)//(92).
posi-lemma
20(2)(b).
Theproof
of(2)
is left to the reader. D8. PROOF OF THEOREM 6
Let
,72(~)
be the set of involutions of the2-group
G.
For asubgroup
Hof 9
defineand let
By proposition
10 andcorollary
11,
M is a free subsetof L(0)
which consistsof elements. We will prove
by
induction thatMg
is containedin
T(g).
Lemma 22.
Let g
be a2-group.
ThenMg is
afree
subsetof
T(9)
con-sisting
of
rank(L(G))
elements.Proof.
Observe thatT(Z2)
= 0.Let 9
be agroup of order
2i >
4 and letN/K
be a Galois extension with Galois group9.
Now weproceed by
induction.
1. Let be a
subgroup
with 1-l~
9.
LetT, T’
E 9
be involutions. ThenXT = if and
only
if T’ E9r.
SinceJ2 (9)
is thedisjoint
union of theconjugacy
classes of the involutionsof 9
weget
Let U
9
be a maximalsubgroup
of 9
which contains ThenNow
X~
Eby
inductionhypothesis.
Hence(XWU)
=0,
which(see
proposition
19).
Hence2. Next we have to prove
XO
ET(~).
First we consider anelementary
Now
expand
the Pfister form « -al, ... , »=1, b2, ... , b2l
>.Then the entries
b2, ... ,
b21
are in one-to-onecorrespondence
with thequadratic
subextensions of There areexactly 2l-1 -
1 elementsT id such that C NT . Hence
Now we can assume
that g
is not anelementary
abelian group. LetLl1, ... ,
Urn
be the maximalsubgroups
of 9. Since 0
is not a group oforder
2,
weget
J2 (C)
C Thisgives
where the sum runs over the set of all
non-empty
subsets of11, . - - ,
Let41, (G)
denote the Frattinisubgroup
ofG.
Let2 k
be its order and setV = Let F be the fixed field of
&(C) .
ThenF/K
is anelementary
abelian extension. Let
{i 1, ... , ~r}
C(I, ... , m}
be a set of r differentindices. Set 1-£ n ...
nUir.
ThenXJ/f
ET(1-£)
by
inductionhypothesis.
We
get
0,
whichimplies
Set V = and
suppose H fl
By
(1)
we know thatX,
ET(V)
We further
get
If 7~ =
&(0) ,
then,72(~-l/~(~))
isempty
andNll
= F. Hence the formulaalso holds in this situation.
implies
by
the above.9. OPEN
QUESTIONS
We conclude with some open
questions.
How does the exponent of8(9)/T(9)
depend
on 9?
Proposition
23. Let9
be afinite
group.If
a2-Sylow subgroup
92
of
9
is a normal
subgroup of 9,
then the restrictionhomomorphism.
induces anProof.
Let cor :B(92) --7
B(9)
be the corestriction. This is an additivehomomorphism.
Sinceg2
is normalin G
weget
res o cor =[G : G2] -
id.By
Theorem 6 there is aninteger 1
E N such that21 -
L(g2)
CT(~2).
Letk,t
E7G,k >
0 with k.[9:
G2]
= Thenresocor(kx)
=X+t. 2X
=-X mod
T(G2)-
0This leads to the
following
question:
Does the restrictionhomomorphism
induces an
isomorphism
We know that the answer is affirmative
if 9
is an abelian group whose2-Sylow subgroup
iscyclic
orelementary
abelian. In these casesL(9)/T(9)
hasexponent
2.If G
is the dihedral group of order8,
then theexpo-nent is 2. In the case of the
quaternion
groupQ8
of order 8 weget
exp(L(Qg)/T(Qg))
= 4.REFERENCES
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[2] P.E. Conner and R. Perlis. A Survey of Trace Forms of Algebraic Number Fields. World
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[3] C. Drees, M. Epkenhans, and M. Krüskemper. On the computation of the trace form of some Galois extensions. J. Algebra, 192 (1997), 209-234.
[4] M. Epkenhans and M. Krüskemper. On Trace Forms of étale Algebras and Field Extensions. Math. Z. 217 (1994), 421-434.
[5] W. Scharlau. Quadratic and Hermitian Forms. Grundlehren der mathematischen Wis-senschaften. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, Tokyo, (1985).
[6] T. A. Springer. On the equivalence of quadratic forms. Proc. Acad. Amsterdam, 62 (1959), 241-253.
[7] O. Taussky. The Discriminant Matrices of an Algebraic Number Field. J. London Math.
Soc. 43 (1968), 152-154. Martin EPKENHANS
Fb Mathematik D-33095 Paderborn