COURSE NOTES, GLOBAL CLASS FIELD THEORY

CALTECH, SPRING 2015/16

15

I nd the proofs of the Norm index, reciprocity and existence theorem are best
explained in Langs book which we follow very closely. However, he uses idelic
language which we translate back into the language of congruence groups.
1.6. Proof of the Norm index Theorem. Throughout this section L/K is a
cyclic extension with Galois group G =< >. We recall that the Tate cohomology
of a cyclic group G is periodic with period 2, more precisely there is a class c
2 (G, Z) so that cup-product with c gives an isomorphism
H 2 (G, Z) = H
i (G, M )
i+2 (G, M )
(10)
c : H
=H
for any G-module M and i Z. The Herbrand quotient
0 (G, M )|
|H
q(M ) :=
1 (G, M )|
|H
is dened if both groups are nite and can be viewed as some sort of Euler characteristic of the cohomology of M . It behaves like an Euler characteristic in that for
any (nite length) exact sequence
M 1 M2 M3
one has

q(M1 )1 q(M2 ) q(M3 )1 = 1.

Note also that q(M ) = 1 for nite M since one has exact sequences
1

0 M G M M MG 0
and

NG
1 (G, M ) MG
0 (G, M ) 0
0H
M G H

and
1 (G, M )
1 (G, M )
H
=H

(11)

by (10).
Let m be a modulus only divisible by the primes ramied in L/K (with exponents
to be determined later in the proof of Lemma 1.6) and let S be the set of primes
dividing m together with the innite primes. Using Lemmas 1.5, 1.6, 1.7 below the
proof of the Norm index theorem is as follows. Consider the map of short exact
sequences
0

NL/K (L )K ,m
NL/K (L )

K
NL/K (L )

m
NL/K (JL
)P m
m)
NL/K (JL

Jm
m)
NL/K (JL

K
NL/K (L )K ,m

Jm
m )P m
NL/K (JL

Jm
QL

where the vertical maps send elements to their ideals and

K ,m := { K | 1

(12)
By denition of P

mod m}.

the map is surjective, so we get

coker().
coker() =

Using Lemma 1.6 we have



| coker()|
| coker()| | ker()|
=
|Gp |
|Gp |
|J m /QL | =
| ker()|
| ker()|
pS

pS

16

M. FLACH

and if we can show

| coker()|

)1
= q(OL,S
| ker()|

(13)
Lemma 1.7 gives

|J m /QL | = |G| | ker()| |G| = [L : K].

(14)

But we already know the opposite inequality by Theorem 1.3 and this gives the
norm index theorem, Theorem 1.5.
To show (13) we would like to argue as follows. Take the exact sequence of
G-modules

0 OL,S
L JLm Cl(OL,S ) 0

(15)
and conclude

1 =q(OL,S
) q(L )1 q(JLm ) q(Cl(OL,S ))1

0 (G, L )|1 |H
0 (G, JLm )|
=q(OL,S
) |H

) | ker()|1 | coker()|
=q(OL,S

using Lemma 1.5 and the niteness of Cl(OL,S ). Unfortunately, this neat argument
K
Jm
m
0 (G, L ) =
0
does not work since H
m ) are not
NL/K (L ) and H (G, JL ) = NL/K (JL
nite and the Herbrand quotient is not dened. But it is straightforward to work
around this diculty which results in a more clumsy argument as follows. The
sequence (15) induces a commutative diagram

1 ((L )) /
H

/H
0 (O )
L,S

/H
0 (L )

0 (O )
H
L,S

/H
0 (L )

1 (Cl(OL,S ))
H

PPP
PPP
PPP
PPP
(

/H
/H
1 (O )
0 ((L ))
L,S


/H
1 (Cl(OL,S ))
0 ((L ))
H
OOO
OOO
OOO
OO'


)
H (OL,S


/H
0 (J m )
L

/H
0 (Cl(OL,S ))

/H
0 (J m )
L

/H
0 (Cl(OL,S ))

where the second and fourth row are exact and the indicated injections and surjections hold because of Lemma 1.5. An easy diagram chase gives an exact sequence
0 (O ) ker() ker() 0
1 ((L )) H
0H
L,S
and a completely dual argument gives an exact sequence
1 ((L )) 0.
0 (Cl(OL,S )) H
0 coker() coker() H

//H
1 ((L

COURSE NOTES, GLOBAL CLASS FIELD THEORY

CALTECH, SPRING 2015/16

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Hence
1 ((L ))|
0 (Cl(OL,S ))| |H
| coker()| | coker()| |H
=
1 ((L ))| |H
0 (O )| | ker()|
| ker()|
|H
L,S
=

0 (Cl(OL,S ))| |H
1 ((L ))|
1 (O )| |H
|H
L,S
1 ((L ))| |H
0 (O )| |H
1 (Cl(OL,S ))|
|H
L,S

=q(OL,S
)1

q(Cl(OL,S )) = q(OL,S
)1 .

using (11) and the niteness of Cl(OL,S ).

Lemma 1.5. For any Galois extension L/K with group G one has
H 1 (G, L ) = H 1 (G, JLm ) = 0.

Proof. The rst part is of course just Hilberts theorem 90 for which we refer to
Langs book on algebra, for example. Concerning the second, one has an isomorphism of G-modules


Jm
Z
IndG Z
=
=
L

Gp

pmf P|p

and Shapiros Lemma gives

H 1 (G, JLm )
=

pmf

H 1 (Gp , Z)
=

pmf

Hom(Gp , Z) = 0.

pmf


Remark 1.6.1. Note that we have surreptitiously commuted cohomology with an
innite direct sum. What follows immediately from the denition is that cohomology
commutes with arbitrary direct products of coecients (exercise)


H i (G,
M )
H i (G, M ).
=

If P is a nitely generated projective module over a ring R one also has



M )
HomR (P, M )
HomR (P,
=

since there is a natural map (from right to left) which is an isomorphism for P = R
and hence for any retract of Rn . If G is a group of type F P , i.e. so that Z
has a resolution by nitely generated, projective R = ZG-modules, then cohomology
commutes with direct sums (in fact arbitrary direct limits). Now a nite group is
certainly of type F P since the standard resolution consists of nitely generated
ZG-modules.
Lemma 1.6. For p S denote by Gp G the decomposition group. For m
suciently large one has

[K : NL/K L K ,m ] =
|Gp |
pS

where K

,m

was dened in (12).

18

M. FLACH

Proof. The proof is short if one uses local class eld theory. For each p S and

P | p the norm subgroup NLP /Kp L

P Kp is open and hence contains a subgroup

1 + pnp OKp p nite
U (np ) =
p real and np = 1
Kp2
for suitable np > 0. These are the exponents in our modulus. The natural map

(16)
K /NL/K L K ,m
Kp /NLP /Kp (L
P)
pS

is bijective because of weak approximation, Theorem 1.1. More precisely, given

p Kp , we can nd K so that /p 1 mod pnp and hence maps
to the class of (p )pS . If goes to zero, i.e. = NLP /Kp (p ) then again by
weak approximation we can nd L so that /p 1 mod Pnp and hence
NL/K ()/NLP /Kp (p ) 1 mod pnp . This means /NL/K () K ,m , i.e. the
class of vanishes in the left hand side.
Local class eld theory gives
(17)

|Kp /NLP /Kp (L

P )| = [LP : Kp ] = |Gp |

and this nishes the proof of Lemma 1.6. However, since we wont be using local
class eld theory anywhere else in the entire proof, we would like to indicate how
Lemma 1.6 also has a self-contained proof. The rst thing to notice is

0
q(L
P ) = |H (Gp , LP )| = Kp /NLP /Kp (LP )

because of Hilbert 90 but we also need to check that NLP /Kp (L

P ) is a subgroup

|Gp |
of nite index. This follows since it contains NLP /Kp (Kp ) = (Kp )
and (Kp )n
has nite index by explicit computation (see also the section on the proof of the
existence theorem). Since the Gp -action preserves valuations we get

q(L
P ) = q(Z) q(OLP ) = |Gp | q(OLP )

where Z has trivial Gp -action. Now OL

has a nite index submodule 1+Pn which
P
is mapped isomorphically by the logarithm series (with inverse the exponential
series) to the nite index submodule Pn OLP and OLP contains a nite index
sublattice OKp [Gp ] by the normal basis theorem for the Galois extension LP /Kp
(wlog we can assume a normal basis lies in OLP ). Putting all this information
together we get

) = q(1 + Pn ) = q(Pn ) = q(OLP ) = q(OKp [Gp ]) = 1

q(OL
P

since OKp [Gp ] is cohomologically trivial. These computations already show (17)
but there is a subtle point left to prove, namely the existence of a conductor,
a subgroup U (np ) contained in NLP /Kp (L
P ). It turns out that any nite index
subgroup of E , where E is a local eld of characteristic zero, is open and hence
contains a group U (n) for n large enough. It is enough to show this for the groups
(E )n which one can do by an explicit analysis similar to the one we just gave for
L
P . However the statement is wrong if E is a local eld of characteristic p. Then
E /(E )p is a countable product of copies of Z/p and it turns out that not every
nite index subgroup is open. So here one would also have to show that the norm
subgroup of a nite extension is open.

COURSE NOTES, GLOBAL CLASS FIELD THEORY

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19

Finally, to make the proof independent of local class eld theory, we also have
to show directly that

NLP /Kp (OL

) = OK
p
P
if LP /Kp is unramied (so that an unramied prime will not appear in the modulus
m). For this we use that for the extension of nite residue elds l/k we have
1 (Gp , l ) = H 1 (Gp , l ) = 0 by Hilbert 90 and hence
H
0 (Gp , l ) = q(l ) = 1
H
since l is nite. So the norm map Nl/k : l k is surjective. Similarly, the
normal basis theorem for the Galois extension l/k shows that the additive group
0 (Gp , l) = 0, i.e. the trace map is
l is Gp -cohomologically trivial, in particular H

surjective. One can now lter OLP by its standard Gp -invariant open subgroups
1 + Pn with subquotients l , l, l, . . . and show that the Norm map is surjective for

all quotients OL
/1+Pn , i.e. NLP /Kp (OL
)(1+pn ) = OK
. Since NLP /Kp (OL
)
p
P
P
P
n
is a nite index subgroup it contains some subgroup 1 + p and we are done.

We summarize the facts about local elds that we have obtained in the proof of
Lemma 1.6.
Corollary 1.6. For a cyclic extension LP /Kp of local elds with group Gp we have
q(L
P ) = |Gp |,

q(OL
) = 1.
P

If LP /Kp is unramied we even have

1 (Gp , O ) = 0.
0 (Gp , O ) = H
H
LP
LP
Lemma 1.7. One has


pS

)=
q(OL,S

|Gp |

|G|

Proof. This is a beautiful application of the S-unit theorem and the Herbrand
index. Recall the S-unit regulator map
log | |p 

R
: OL,S
pSL

which is G-equivariant. One way to phrase the unit theorem is to say that it induces
an exact sequence of G-modules
R 

0 OL,S
Z R
R
R 0.
pSL

Dening a Z[G]-module XS by the exact sequence



0 XS
Z
Z0
pSL

the unit theorem shows that there is an isomorphism of R[G]-modules

OL,S
Z R
= XS Z R.

20

M. FLACH

Using elementary representation theory (of nite groups over elds of characteristic
zero) there is then an isomorphism of Q[G]-modules

OL,S
Z Q
= XS Z Q.

So we have two Z[G]-lattices OL,S

/(L) and XS in the same Q-vector space which
allows us to compare their Herbrand indices:

) = q(OL,S
/(L)) = q(OL,S
/(L) XS ) = q(XS ).
q(OL,S

But q(XS ) is straightforward to compute

q(XS ) = q(

Z) q(Z)

pSL

= q(


IndG
Gp

Z) |G|

pS

pS

|Gp |

|G|

.


Since the following two statements have one-line proofs given what we did in this
section, we mention them here but they will probably not be used elsewhere.
Corollary 1.7. In the situation of Theorem 1.5, if an element K ,m generates
an ideal that is a norm, then is the norm of an element.
Proof. Inequality (14) is an equality which implies that ker() = 0 where
:

NL/K (L ) K ,m
NL/K (JLm ) P m

.
NL/K (L )
NL/K (JLm )


Corollary 1.8. (Hasse Norm Theorem) If L/K is cyclic and K is locally a

norm at every place p of K then is globally a norm, i.e. = NL/K () for some
L.
Proof. Recall the isomorphism (16)
K /NL/K L K ,m
=


pS

Kp /NLP /Kp (L
P ).

By assumption vanishes in the right hand side, hence = NL/K (1 ) 1 and

since () J m was the norm of an ideal in JLm , so is 1 . By the previous corollary
1 = NL/K (2 ), hence = NL/K (1 2 ).

1.7. Proof of the Reciprocity theorem. Both as a warm-up and as an ingredient in the general proof we look at cyclotomic extensions.
Lemma 1.8. Let K be any number eld and L/K a subextension of K(m )/K.
Then for m = (m)m where m is the product of all real places of K and for any
K with 1 mod m we have
((), L/K) = 1.
In particular L/K is a class eld.

COURSE NOTES, GLOBAL CLASS FIELD THEORY

CALTECH, SPRING 2015/16

21

Proof. In a diagram of elds

L = KE
II
u
II
uu
u
II
uu
II
u
I
uu
E
K II
u
II
uu
u
II
uu
II
II uuu
u
k
we have (exercise)
(18)

(a, L/K)|E = (NK/k a, E/k).

Applying this to k = Q and E = Q(m ) and using that NK/Q () =

mod m we deduce for := ((), K(m )/K) Gal(K(m )/K)

() 1

|Q(m ) = ((NK/Q ()), Q(m )/Q) = 1.

In particular (m ) = 1 and hence = 1.

The next step is to treat the case of a cyclic extension L/K. We cannot show
directly what we want, that ker() contains some group P m , but we will be able
to show the opposite inclusion ker() P m NL/K (JLm ). Together with the Norm
index theorem this implies equality.
Proposition 1.5. Let L/K be cyclic. Then for the modulus m from Theorem 1.5
we have ker() P m NL/K (JLm ).
Proof. Let : J m Gal(L/K) be the Artin map for the modulus from Theorem
1.5 which we know is divisible only by the ramied primes in L/K. Let a ker()
and
r

pi i
a=
i=1

the prime factorization of a. There is a miraculous Artins Lemma, to be proved

below, which turns every cyclic extension L/K into a cyclotomic extension. More
precisely it produces a diagram of elds
(19)

Ei (mi )
HH
HH
HH
HH
H

LEA
AA
zz
z
AA
z
z
AA
z
z
A
z
LEi D
E
DD
uu
}}
u
}
D
u
}
DD
uu
}}
DD
uu
}}
uu
Ei
L II
II
yy
II
y
II
yy
II
I yyy
K

where E = E1 Er /K is linearly disjoint from L/K so that all groups

(20)

Gal(LE/E)
= Gal(L/K) =< >
= Gal(LEi /Ei )

22

M. FLACH

are cyclic but, crucially LEi /Ei is cyclotomic for a set of pairwise relatively prime
integers mi , i = 1, ..., r. Moreover, pi splits completely in Ei /K and is prime to all
mj . We can write
(pi i , L/K) = di
and have 1 = (a, L/K) =

di

, hence


di = dn

where n = [L : K] = | < > |. Since the Artin map is always surjective there is a
fractional ideal B in E (which we can take to be prime to m and the mi ) such that
(B, LE/E) = .
By (18) we get for b = NE/K B
(b, L/K) = .
Now we can write
pi i bdi = NEi /K Ai
since b is a Norm (even from E, not only Ei ) and since pi is a norm since it is
totally split in Ei /K. Since (pi i bdi , L/K) = 1 we get (Ai , LEi /Ei ) = 1. But
LEi /Ei is cyclotomic and so we can write
Ai = (i )NLEi /Ei Bi
for some i 1 mod m(mi )mi, (note that we can take any multiple of the modulus (mi )mi, from Lemma 1.8). Applying NEi /K we get
pi i bdi = NEi /K (i )NLEi /K Bi = NEi /K (i )NL/K (NLEi /L Bi )
where NEi /K (i ) 1 mod m. Taking the product over i = 1, ..., r yields
abdn P m NL/K (JLm ).
But n = [L : K] and therefore bdn = NL/K (bd ) is also a norm. Hence
a P m NL/K (JLm ).

Lemma 1.9. Let a, r Z and q be a prime number. Then there exists a prime
p such that a has order q r modulo p.
>1

Proof. If p | n (a) where n is the n-th cyclotomic polynomial then either p | n or

a has exact order n mod p (follows from separability of xn 1 = n (x)(xd 1)
r
if d | n, d <
q
n). For a prime power n = q we can write (binomial expansion, q
divides all i for 1 i q 1)
r

qr (a) =

r1
r1
aq 1
1)q1 + q(aq
1)q2 + + q.
= (aq
aqr1 1
r1

and so if q | qr (a) then q | aq

1. If q 1 > 1 we nd q 2  qr (a) and if q = 2
r1
we have 2r (a) = a2 + 1 1, 2 mod 4 (as r > 1) and so again q 2  qr (a). Since

qr (a) > q there is then another prime p = q dividing qr (a).
In any abelian group we say two elements a, b are independent if the cyclic groups
they generate have trivial intersection.

COURSE NOTES, GLOBAL CLASS FIELD THEORY

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23

Lemma 1.10. Let

n = q1r1 qsrs
be a positive integer and a > 1 another one. Then there exist primes pi , pi , larger
than any given bound, and a positive integer b > 1 so that for
m = p1 ps p1 ps
a and b have order in (Z/mZ) divisible by n and are independent in (Z/mZ) .
Proof. By letting r in Lemma 1.9 we can nd arbitrarily large distinct primes
r
p1 , . . . , ps so that a has order qi i mod pi with ri > ri . Then we nd still larger
r

distinct primes p1 , . . . , ps , pi = pj , so that a has order qi i mod pi with ri > ri .
Then a certainly has order divisible by n modulo m. Let b be a positive integer
such that
ba

mod p1 ps ,

b1

mod p1 ps .

Then b has order divisible by n modulo m. Finally suppose

a b 1

mod m.
r

r

Then a 1 mod mod p1 ps and hence q11 qs s divides . This implies
a 1 mod p1 ps and hence a 1 mod m. Therefore b 1 mod m and
hence a and b are independent modulo m.

Here is a translation of this Lemma in terms of cyclotomic elds.
Lemma 1.11. Let L/K be an extension of degree n, p a prime of K and S a
nite set of prime numbers. Then there exists an integer m, relatively prime to the
primes in S and to p so that
(i) L Q(m ) = Q and hence L K(m ) = K.
(ii) The Artin symbol := (p, K(m )/K) has order divisible by n.
(iii) There exists Gal(K(m )/K) of order divisible by n and independent of
.
Proof. Apply Lemma 1.10 with a = N p. Take m only divisible by primes unramied in L/Q so that L Q(m ) = Q. Then the cyclotomic polynomial m (X) is
irreducible over any subeld of L hence over K  := L K(m ) and over K, i.e.
[K(m ) : K] = [K  (m ) : K  ] = [K(m ) : K  ] and K  = K. So (i) is satised and
one has isomorphisms
Gal(L(m )/L)
= Gal(K(m )/K)
= Gal(Q(m )/Q)
= (Z/mZ) .
a
so that (ii) holds. Choosing b as in Lemma 1.10 and
By (18) we have (m ) = m
b
setting (m ) = m we get (iii).


24

M. FLACH

Lemma 1.11 results in the following diagram of elds where E is the eld we are
going to construct in the next Lemma.
L(m ) = E(m )
OOO
r
OOO
rrr
r
OOO
r
r
r
OO
r
rrr
K(m )
L LL
E
II
LLL
oo
II
o
LLL
o
II
o
o
o
LLL
II
o
I
oo
LL
o
o
o
Q(m )
K OOO
OOO
u
u
u
OOO
u
OOO
uu
OOO
uu
u
u
Q
Lemma 1.12. (Artins Lemma) Let L/K be a cyclic extension, p a prime of K
unramied in L/K and S a nite set of prime numbers. Then there exists an
integer m, relatively prime to the primes in S and to p, and a nite extension E/K
so that
(0) L K(m ) = K.
(1) L E = K.
(2) L(m ) = E(m ).
(3) p splits completely in E/K.
Proof. Choosing m as in Lemma 1.11 we have
G := Gal(L(m )/K)
= Gal(L/K) Gal(K(m )/K)
and condition (0) is satised. Let be a generator of Gal(L/K) and be as in
Lemma 1.11, let H be the subgroup generated by
{(, ), ((p, L/K), (p, K(m )/K))}
and let E be the xed eld of H. Condition (1) is satised since H and
Gal(L(m )/L)
= 1 Gal(K(m )/K)
generate G. Condition (2) is satised since the intersection of H and
Gal(L(m )/K(m ))
= Gal(L/K) 1
is trivial (uses independence and divisibility by n of and ). Finally, condition
(3) is satised since the decomposition group
< ((p, L/K), (p, K(m )/K)) >
of p in L(m )/K is contained in H.

We can now nally produce our diagram (19). We apply Artins Lemma to
p1 , . . . , pr in succession, making sure that m1 , . . . , mr are pairwise relatively prime.
Then the compositum E = E1 Er satises L E = K as well as (20). This is an
easy exercise in Galois theory.
Now on to the proof of the reciprocity theorem, Theorem 1.6. Given an abelian
extension L/K, let Li /K be the (nite) family of cyclic subextensions. If i denotes

COURSE NOTES, GLOBAL CLASS FIELD THEORY

CALTECH, SPRING 2015/16

25

mi
the Artin map for Li /K we know by Prop. 1.5 that P 
ker(i ) where mi is only
divisible by primes ramied in Li /K. Then for m := i mi we have

Pm
ker(i ) = ker()
i

and m is only divisible by primes ramied in L/K.

At this point, i.e. having proven the norm index and the reciprocity theorem,
we also have a (rather complicated) proof of the Kronecker-Weber theorem.
Corollary 1.9. (Kronecker-Weber) If L/Q is abelian, then L Q(m ) for some
m.
Proof. By Theorem 1.6 we know that L/Q is a class eld for some modulus (m).
By direct computation Q(m ) is the ray class eld for (m). The conclusion now
follows from Prop. 1.4.

1.8. Proof of the existence theorem.
1.8.1. Kummer theory. The main tool to construct extensions is Kummer theory.
Recall that for any eld K and integer n prime to the characteristic of K the
) (Hilberts theorem 90) gives an isomorphism
vanishing of H 1 (K, K
H 1 (K, n )
K /(K )n =
and if K contains a primitive n-th root of unity we get
K /(K )n
= H 1 (K, n )
= Homcont (GK , n ).
By duality for locally compact abelian groups there is then a bijection between
subgroups
B/(K )n K /(K )n
and continuous surjections
GK GK /U
= Gal(K(B)/K)
to quotients of exponent
n. By Galois theory these are in turn in bijection with
abelian extensions K( n B)/K of exponent n. Our notation indicates how these
extensions are constructed out of a subgroup B. This correspondence already looks
a little like class eld theory but its a duality between a multiplicative group and a
Galois group whereas the reciprocity map is an isomorphism between such groups.
If K is a number eld we know already by Theorem 1.6 that all these extensions
n
are class elds. So a natural question is to compute their norm subgroup QK(
B)
for a suitable modulus m from the group B. We shall only do this for

B = OK,S
(K )n

where S is a large enough set of places containing all innite places and
OK,S = { K|p
/ S ||p 1}
is the ring of S-integers. More precisely we have
Proposition 1.6. Assume K contains a primitive n-th root of unity. Let S be a
nite set of places of K such that
p|pS
p|npS

26

M. FLACH

{p1 , . . . , pk } S where p1 , . . . , pk  = Cl(OK ).


Denote by mS = pS pmp a modulus so that for all p S we have mp > 0 and
(21)

mod pmp (Kp )n .

Then
LS,n := K

n
OK,S

is the class eld for the congruence group

) J mS
P mS (KS,n

where
(22)
Moreover

KS,n
:= K

(Kp )n .

pS

[LS,n : K] = n|S| .

Proof. We rst compute the degree

(K )n /(K )n | = |OK,S
/OK,S
(K )n |
[LS,n : K] = |OK,S

of LS,n over K. If an S-unit has an n-th root in K then its n-th root is again an
S-unit, i.e.

(K )n = (OK,S
)n
OK,S
and hence

[LS,n : K] = [OK,S
: (OK,S
)n ].

By Dirichlets theorem for S-units we have OK,S

= (K) Zs1 where s = |S| and
hence
(23)

[LS,n : K] = [OK,S
: (OK,S
)n ] = |(K)/(K)n | ns1 = ns .

So for example, if K = Q we can only take n = 2 and then for S = {p1 , . . . , ps1 , }
we get

LS,2 = Q( p1 , . . . , ps1 , 1)
which has degree 2s .

/ S then OK,S
OK,p
In general LS,n is unramied outside S, since if p

n
n
and satises the monic equation with integer coecients f (X) = X and

f  () = nn1 OK,p
. By Theorem 1.6 there is a modulus mS only divisible by
primes in S, and which we can increase to satisfy (21), so that LS,n /K is a class
eld and
S
J mS /P mS NLS,n /K (JLmS,n
)
= Gal(LS,n /K)
is a group of exponent n and order ns . To see the inclusion
(24)

S
(KS,n
) P mS NLS,n /K (JLmS,n
) = ker(LS,n )

write = pn for each p S and use Theorem 1.1 (weak approximation) to nd

K so that p / 1 mod mS and hence (/ n ) P mS . As Gal(LS,n /K)
has exponent n we have ( n ) ker(LS,n ) and conclude ker(LS,n ).
To see that (24) is in fact an equality it suces to compute that

[J mS : (KS,n
)] = ns .

COURSE NOTES, GLOBAL CLASS FIELD THEORY

CALTECH, SPRING 2015/16

We have (KS,n
) = KS,n
/OK,S,n
where

:= OK,S
KS,n
= OK,S

OK,S,n

27

(Kp )n

pS

and we recall that OK,S

is also the kernel of the natural map K J mS . Consider
the commutative diagram with exact rows

/OK,S,n

0 KS,n

 1

K /OK,S,n

0 OK,S
/OK,S,n

1 J mS

 1

n
pS Kp /(Kp )


pS

H 0

J mS H 0

Kp /(Kp )n 1


H 0

where i are the natural inclusions, i are their respective pullbacks and we obtain

isomorphisms on H since
 coker(i ) = coker(i ). To see this last claim, note that
K surjects onto both pS Kp /(Kp )n (by weak approximation) and J mS (by our
assumption that the primes in S generate Cl(K)) and that the map coker(i )
coker(i ) has trivial kernel since i was a pullback of i .
The bottom row now consists of nite groups and we get



 






mS

n 

[J
: (KS,n )] = |H| = 
Kp /(Kp )  / OK,S /OK,S,n

pS

=

 1
 n2
1
1

= n2s
s = ns
|n|p ns
|n|
n
p
p

pS

using Lemma 1.13, Lemma 1.14 and the product formula

|n|p = 1.

Lemma 1.13. One has OK,S,n

= (OK,S
)n and therefore by (23)

 


 


) n  = ns .
OK,S /OK,S,n
 = OK,S /(OK,S

Proof. The inclusion OK,S,n

(OK,S
)n is clear. Now take OK,S,n
and consider

the extension L = K( n ). Then all p S are split completely in L/K. For any
q
/ S we nd K with () = q in J mS . For p S let P be a place of
L dividing p. By weak approximation we can nd L so that, for all p S,
/ 1 mod Pmp and 1 mod qmp for all P = q | p. Then NL/K ()/ 1
mod pmp , i.e. () P mS NL/K (JLmS ). We conclude J mS = P mS NL/K (JLmS ), i.e.

L = K by the reciprocity theorem. This means OK,S

(K )n = (OK,S
)n . 

Lemma 1.14. If E is a local eld of characteristic zero with normalized absolute

value || || one has
n |n (E)|
.
|E /(E )n | =
||n||

28

M. FLACH

Proof. For E = C both sides are 0 since ||x|| = x2 for positive real x. For E = R
both sides are of order 1, resp. 2, according to whether n is odd, resp. even.
Now assume E is non-archimedean. Setting q(A) = | coker(n)|
| ker(n)| for an abelian
group A for which both quantities are nite, q is multiplicative in exact sequences
and q(A) = 1 if A is nite. The exact sequence

E Z 0
0 OE

gives

|E /(E )n |/|n (E)| = q(E ) = n q(OE

)

and the sequence

Q0
0 1 + meE OK

gives

q(OE
) = q(1 + meE ).

Now if e is large enough the logarithm series gives an isomorphism

log : 1 + meE
= meE
and q(meE ) = q(OE ) = 1/||n|| by the denition of normalized absolute value (if
OK has Haar measure 1 and E then |||| is the Haar measure of OK , i.e.

[OK : OK ]1 if OE
).

Corollary 1.10. If n K and Q J m is a congruence group such that J m /Q
has exponent n, then there exists a class eld for Q.
Proof. First note that if m is a multiple of m and we set H = J m /Q we have a
commutative diagram analogous to (9)


0 Q J m


0

J m H 0




J m H 0

where now we must use the fact that Q is a congruence subgroup to get surjectivity
of  . Indeed, given

Z,
a
p|m , pm

by Theorem 1.1 we can nd 1 mod m also satisfying vp (a) = vp () for p  m


and then a/() J m .
Given m and Q we rst increase m to m = mS so that the set S of primes
dividing mS satises the conditions in Prop.1.6. Now we proceed as in the proof of

(24). Given KS,n

and p S there is p Kp with pn = . By Theorem 1.1

there is K with /p 1 mod pmp and hence n /pn 1 mod pmp . Then
/ n 1 mod mS , i.e. (/ n ) P mS Q. Since J mS /Q has exponent n we have

()n Q, hence () Q, hence (KS,n

) Q. By Prop. 1.6 (KS,n
) has a class eld
and so by Lemma 1.4 Q has a class eld.


COURSE NOTES, GLOBAL CLASS FIELD THEORY

CALTECH, SPRING 2015/16

29

1.8.2. Reduction to J m /Q of exponent n and n K. If m is a modulus in K we

lift it to any extension L in the obvious way (send p to its factorization) and denote
it again by m. We have for all L
() 1 mod m NL/K () 1 mod m,
1 mod m : L K
i.e. NL/K maps PLm to P m (we have used this before in the proof of the reciprocity
theorem). If L/K is Galois such a lifted modulus satises (m) = m for all G.
Lemma 1.15. Let L/K be Galois with group G.
a) If E/L is a class eld with norm subgroup PLm QE JLm , then for any
(m)
G the eld E := E L, /L is a class eld for QE JL .
b) If (m) = m and QE = QE for all G then E/K is Galois and the
reciprocity isomorphism
Gal(E/L)
m : J m /QE =
L

is G-equivariant where G acts on Gal(E/L) by conjugation.

1
(Q) for some congruence subgroup
c) If in the situation of b) QE = NL/K
P m Q J m of K then G acts trivially on Gal(E/L).
d) If in the situation of c) L/K is cyclic and a class eld for a congruence
subgroup Q QL then E/K is a class eld for Q.
e) If in the situation of c) L/K is cyclic and Q is any congruence subgroup
1
such that QE = NL/K
(Q) has a class eld (over L), then Q has a class
eld (over K).
Proof. Part a) we leave as an exercise. For part b) note that under the assumptions
we have E = E for all G, i.e. E/K is Galois. Note that = Frobp is the
unique automorphism in Gal(E/L) so that
xN p (x)

x OE

mod P

for a prime P above p (the choice doesnt matter since Gal(E/L) is abelian). This
implies for any lift

= Gal(E/K) of
x OE

xN p

1 (x)

mod
(P)

and
(P) is a prime above (p). So we get the characterizing property of Frob(p)
1
and this implies that m is G-equivariant. If QE = NL/K
(Q) is a pullback then
1
m
m
QE contains NL/K (P ) which contains PL by the above remark. Hence QE
is a congruence subgroup. Moreover, the G-action on JLm /QE is trivial, since
1
(Q). This proves c).
NL/K (a) = NL/K ((a)) for all G, i.e. (a)/a NL/K
If moreover L/K is cyclic, then Gal(E/K) must be abelian since the lift
of
any generator commutes with all Gal(E/L) and
and Gal(E/L) generate
Gal(E/K). By denition of QL := NL/K (JLm ) P m the composite homomorphism
NL/K

: JLm QL QL /P m
is surjective, hence for any subgroup P m Q QL J m and QE := 1 (Q/P m )
(25)
J m /QE = J m / 1 (Q/P m )
= (QL /P m )/(Q/P m )
= QL /Q.
L

If E/L is a class eld for QE then

NE/K (JEm ) = NL/K (NE/L (JEm )) NL/K (QE ) Q

30

M. FLACH

and using (25)

[J m : Q] = [J m : QL ] [QL : Q] = [J m : QL ] [JLm : QE ] = [L : K] [E : L] = [E : K].
Hence E/K is a class eld for Q and this gives d). For e) rst use the reciprocity
theorem to deduce that L/K is a class eld, then take a common modulus m for Q
and QL and note that
1
1
QE = NL/K
(Q) = NL/K
(Q QL )

has a class eld E/L. By d) E/K is the class eld for Q QL J m and by Lemma
1.4 there is a class eld for Q J m since Q QL Q.

We can now conclude the proof of Theorem 1.7. Given any congruence subgroup
P m Q J m , let n be its exponent. There is a tower of cyclic extensions
K = K0 K1 K2 Kr = K(n )
giving us a sequence of congruence subgroups
Q0 = Q,

1
1
Qi = N K
(Qi1 ) = NK
(Qi1 QKi ).
i /Ki1
i /Ki1

m
By an easy upward induction and (25) all groups JK
/Qi have exponent n. By
i
Corollary 1.10 Qr has a class eld and by Lemma 1.15 e) and an easy downward
induction all Qi have class elds. In particular Q = Q0 has a class eld.