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# CERN-TH/2000-248 On the two kinds of vector particles

## I Introduction

The description of the elementary particles relies on concepts of symmetry . The rotation invariance group gives a particle classification with respect to the spin. In the quantum theory the spin may have half-integer or integer value. The lowest representation of the $`O(3)`$ group, which can be used as a building block for the construction of a higher spin representation, is a two-component spinor $`\psi _\alpha `$ ($`\alpha =1,2`$). It describes the particles with spin 1/2. In non-relativistic quantum mechanics there exists only one possibility to construct a vector: 1/2 + 1/2 = 1.

In the relativistic theory the symmetry group is the Lorentz group $`O(3,1)`$, which is isomorphic to the direct product of the two spatial rotation groups $`O(3)\times O(3)`$. Therefore, two inequivalent representations $`(1/2,0)`$ and $`(0,1/2)`$ exist for the spin 1/2. They correspond to particles with different chiralities and are represented by the Weyl spinor $`\psi _\alpha `$ and its conjugate $`\psi _\alpha ^{}\psi _{\dot{\alpha }}`$, which are related by the $`P`$ transformation. There exist two possibilities to construct the representation of the spin 1.

The vector representation $`(1/2,1/2)`$ is the well studied one and corresponds to the gauge particles. It is chirally neutral, because it arises from the product between the left $`(1/2,0)`$ and the right $`(0,1/2)`$ fundamental spinors. This property reflects the simple fact that all gauge interactions preserve chiralities of incoming and outgoing particles. This representation is transformed as a mixed (dotted and undotted) spinor $`\varphi _{\alpha \dot{\beta }}`$, which is equivalent to the Lorentz vector

$$V_m=(\sigma _m)^{\dot{\alpha }\beta }\varphi _{\beta \dot{\alpha }},$$
(1)
where $`\sigma _i`$ $`(i=1,2,3)`$ are the Pauli matrices and $`\sigma _0`$ is the unit matrix.

Let us stress that inequivalent chiral representations $`(1,0)`$ and $`(0,1)`$, which also correspond to particles with spin 1, can be constructed if one uses only the product either of the left $`(1/2,0)`$ or of the right $`(0,1/2)`$ fundamental spinors. They are transformed independently by the proper Lorentz group as rank-2 spinors, symmetric in the spinor indices: $`\varphi _{\alpha \beta }`$ and $`\varphi _{\dot{\alpha }\dot{\beta }}`$, respectively. To pass to more convenient Lorentz indices, the decomposition of the product of the Pauli matrices into symmetric and antisymmetric parts can be used:

$`(C\widehat{\sigma }_m\sigma _n)^{\alpha \beta }=g_{mn}C^{\alpha \beta }{\displaystyle \frac{i}{2}}ϵ_{mnab}(C\widehat{\sigma }^a\sigma ^b)^{\alpha \beta },`$ (3)
$`(\sigma _m\widehat{\sigma }_nC)^{\dot{\alpha }\dot{\beta }}=g_{mn}C^{\dot{\alpha }\dot{\beta }}+{\displaystyle \frac{i}{2}}ϵ_{mnab}(\sigma ^a\widehat{\sigma }^bC)^{\dot{\alpha }\dot{\beta }},`$ (4)
where $`(\widehat{\sigma }_m)_{\alpha \dot{\beta }}=(C^1\sigma _m^TC)_{\alpha \dot{\beta }}`$, $`C_{\alpha \beta }ϵ_{\alpha \beta }`$ is the charge-conjugation matrix, and $`ϵ^{mnab}`$ is the completely antisymmetric tensor, with $`ϵ^{0123}=+1`$. Therefore, one can introduce the antisymmetric anti-self-dual tensor $`T_{mn}^{}=T_{mn}\stackrel{~}{T}_{mn}`$:

$$T_{mn}^{}=\frac{i}{2}ϵ_{mnab}(C\widehat{\sigma }^a\sigma ^b)^{\alpha \beta }\varphi _{\beta \alpha },$$
(6)
and the antisymmetric self-dual tensor $`T_{mn}^+=(T_{mn}^{})^{}=T_{mn}+\stackrel{~}{T}_{mn}`$:

$$T_{mn}^+=\frac{i}{2}ϵ_{mnab}(\sigma ^a\widehat{\sigma }^bC)^{\dot{\alpha }\dot{\beta }}\varphi _{\dot{\beta }\dot{\alpha }},$$
(7)
where $`\stackrel{~}{T}_{mn}=(i/2)ϵ_{mnab}T^{ab}`$ is the tensor that is dual to the real antisymmetric tensor $`T_{mn}`$. Hence, the real tensor $`T_{mn}`$ corresponds both to the left and to the right vector particles or, in other words, to the vector and axial-vector ones.

As far as the vector potential $`V_m`$ (1) describes the real vector particles, the antisymmetric tensors $`T_{mn}^\pm `$ (I) can correspond to yet unknown vector particles. It is clear that the transformation law of the vector particles uniquely defines their trilinear renormalizable interaction with the fermions without derivatives. For example, the usual gauge interaction term $`\overline{\mathrm{\Psi }}\gamma ^m\mathrm{\Psi }V_m`$ arises from the Lorentz-invariant form $`\psi ^\alpha \varphi _{\alpha \dot{\beta }}\psi ^{\dot{\beta }}`$, where

$`\mathrm{\Psi }=\left(\begin{array}{c}\psi _\alpha \\ iC^{\dot{\alpha }\dot{\beta }}\psi _{\dot{\beta }}\end{array}\right)=\left(\begin{array}{c}\mathrm{\Psi }_L\\ \mathrm{\Psi }_R\end{array}\right),\gamma ^m=\left(\begin{array}{cc}0& \widehat{\sigma }^m\\ \sigma ^m& 0\end{array}\right),`$ (14)
are the Dirac bispinor and the Dirac matrices in the helicity representation. On the other hand, the trilinear interaction of the new vector particles with the fermions $`\psi ^\alpha \varphi _{\alpha \beta }\psi ^\beta +\psi ^{\dot{\alpha }}\varphi _{\dot{\alpha }\dot{\beta }}\psi ^{\dot{\beta }}`$ corresponds to the Yukawa term***For the gauge antisymmetric tensor field $`B_{mn}`$ the gauge-invariant form of the interaction with derivative $`ϵ^{abcm}_{[a}B_{bc]}\overline{\mathrm{\Psi }}\gamma _m\mathrm{\Psi }`$ is used, which is non-renormalizable. Here we will consider the antisymmetric tensor matter field $`T_{mn}`$ with a Yukawa interaction. $`\overline{\mathrm{\Psi }}\sigma ^{mn}\mathrm{\Psi }T_{mn}`$, where $`\sigma ^{mn}=i[\gamma ^m,\gamma ^n]/2`$. The key feature of the interactions mediated by the new vector particles is chirality flip of incoming and outgoing particles. The gauge vector particles and the new ones have different interactions and, consequently, different quantum numbers. Therefore, they correspond to different kinds of vector particles. A common opinion exists in the literature, that massive vector particles can be equivalently described by the vector potential $`V_m`$ or by the antisymmetric tensor field $`T_{mn}`$ . This is true for free particles as far as both representations correspond to particles with spin 1. However, there is no equivalence when an interaction is included. Only interactions, in particular with fermions, can distinguish between these two kinds of vector particles. To reveal this let us consider the hadron vector resonances.

## II Hadron vector resonances

The bound states of a quark and an antiquark are characterized by the quantum numbers $`J^{PC}`$, where $`J`$ is the total angular momentum, $`P`$ is the parity and $`C`$ is the charge conjugation. There exist three types of different quantum numbers for the known vector mesons . They are $`1^{}`$, $`1^{++}`$ and $`1^+`$. For instance, the first quantum numbers are assigned to the $`\rho `$, $`\omega `$ and $`\varphi `$ vector mesons. The second quantum numbers are assigned to the $`a_1`$ and $`f_1`$ axial-vector mesons; however, note that the third quantum numbers are assigned again to the axial-vector mesons $`b_1`$ and $`h_1`$. The key point is the difference between the last two assignments for the axial-vector mesons.

Let us consider the extended Nambu–Jona-Lasinio (ENJL)  models. In such models the Lagrangian contains only the quark fields, while the spontaneous symmetry breaking and the hadron states are generated dynamically by the model itself. The mesonic states arise as excitations of quark–antiquark pairs and that defines their interactions with the quarks. There are the vector $`\overline{\mathrm{\Psi }}\gamma ^m\mathrm{\Psi }`$ and the axial-vector $`\overline{\mathrm{\Psi }}\gamma ^m\gamma ^5\mathrm{\Psi }`$ bilinear forms of the quark spinor fields with quantum numbers $`1^{}`$ and $`1^{++}`$, which correspond to the vector and axial-vector mesons, respectively. They have gauge-like interactions with the quarks and can be described by the gauge vector $`V_m`$ and axial-vector $`A_m`$ fields. Up to now all local ENJL models include only vector mesons with quantum numbers $`1^{}`$ and $`1^{++}`$ and do not describe mesons with quantum numbers $`1^+`$. One way of incorporating these mesons into the ENJL model has been described in . These mesonic states correspond to the vector particles, which are described by the antisymmetric tensor field $`T_{mn}`$, rather than by the gauge fields. The bilinear form $`\overline{\mathrm{\Psi }}\sigma ^{mn}\mathrm{\Psi }`$ is used to describe the quantum numbers and the interactions of these mesons. The existence of the axial-vector mesons with the quantum numbers $`1^+`$ points out that the new kind of vector particles should exist in nature.

What concerns the hadron physics the introduction of the antisymmetric tensor field in the ENJL model can give new understanding of the vector mesonic resonances. The six components of the antisymmetric tensor correspond to the axial-vector $`B_m=_n(\overline{\mathrm{\Psi }}\sigma ^{mn}\gamma ^5\mathrm{\Psi })`$ with quantum numbers $`1^+`$ and also to the vector $`R_m=_n(\overline{\mathrm{\Psi }}\sigma ^{mn}\mathrm{\Psi })`$ with quantum numbers $`1^{}`$. Each of these vectors $`B_m`$ and $`R_m`$ has three independent components due to the antisymmetric property of $`\sigma ^{mn}`$. Therefore, besides the axial-vector mesons $`B_m`$ with quantum numbers $`1^+`$, there are additional vector mesons $`R_m`$ with quantum numbers $`1^{}`$, like those of the gauge mesons $`V_m`$, but having different coupling to the quarks. As far as there exist two different vector particles with the same quantum numbers $`1^{}`$, their mass eigenstates can be a linear combination of themIt means, in particular, that the $`\rho `$ meson can have both gauge and anomalous tensor couplings with the quarks, while the axial-vector mesons with quantum numbers $`1^{++}`$ have only gauge interactions and the axial-vector mesons with quantum numbers $`1^+`$ have only tensor interactions.. For example, for the isospin 1 vector mesons they are $`\rho (770)`$ and $`\rho ^{}`$, where the latter is either the $`\rho (1450)`$ or $`\rho (1700)`$ state. For the axial-vector mesons it is possible to make a unique identification of the low-lying mesonic states with the quantum numbers $`1^{++}`$ and $`1^+`$ as $`a_1(1260)`$ and $`b_1(1235)`$, respectively. Applying the ENJL approach to all these (axial)-vector mesons, a remarkable relation among their masses is derived :

$$m_\rho ^2+m_\rho ^{}^2=m_{a_1}^2+m_{b_1}^2.$$
(15)
The extraction of the $`a_1`$ and $`\rho ^{}`$ masses from the experiments is a model-dependent procedure. The masses have a broad range of values. Therefore, to fix one of these masses one can use as approximation the Weinberg sum relation

$$m_{a_1}\sqrt{2}m_\rho .$$
(16)
This fixes the $`a_1`$ mass value $`m_{a_1}1088`$ MeV, and favours the choice of $`\rho (1450)`$ resonance as the second mass eigenstate with the quantum numbers $`1^{}`$, because eq. (15) gives $`m_\rho ^{}1450`$ MeV. Certainly, the new point of view on the hadron (axial)-vector resonances enables us not only to explain their mass spectrum, but also introduces a new decay dynamics connecting with their tensor couplings to the quarks.

## III Electroweak physics

Since two types of vector particles are used for the hadron resonance description, one can extrapolate this feature to the electroweak physics. Let us introduce a new type of intermediate vector bosons into the Standard Model (SM). As far as the tensor interaction does not conserve chirality, these bosons should couple to the left doublets and to the right singlets of the fermion fields. In order to have $`SU(2)\times U(1)`$ invariance, the new vector bosons must be doublets. Therefore, they do not mix with the gauge bosons before the symmetry breaking. It means that in the high energy experiments they do not interfere with the gauge bosons and contribute to processes as their squared amplitude.

Nevertheless, due to the particular chiral properties of the new particles, the angular distribution of the fermion annihilation cross-section for the tensor coupling differs from the one of the vector coupling. For the vector case at high energies the well-known expression holdsFor simplicity the parity violation and the interference between the photon and $`Z`$ in the SM can be neglected.

$$\frac{\mathrm{d}\sigma }{\mathrm{d}\mathrm{cos}\theta }\left(1+\mathrm{cos}^2\theta \right).$$
(18)
While the anomalous tensor interaction of the currents $`_n(\overline{\mathrm{\Psi }}\sigma ^{mn}\mathrm{\Psi })`$ leads to a different angular dependence

$$\frac{\mathrm{d}\sigma }{\mathrm{d}\mathrm{cos}\theta }\mathrm{cos}^2\theta .$$
(19)
The differential cross-section (19) also differs from the case of a scalar coupling, which has uniform distribution.

This means that if the new kind of vector particles exists, at high energies they should give an essential contribution to the differential cross-section only near to the beam direction. It is not easy to detect definitely such an excess experimentally, but it will be a clear signature of the new kind of interactions. Some indications of such excesses exist in recent experimental data with high pseudorapidity $`\eta 2`$: in the production of the $`b`$-quarks at the Tevatron  and the $`\tau \overline{\tau }`$ pairs production at LEP 2 .

The LEP experiments at CERN are very suitable for a search of such deviations from the SM. Generally, the lepton physics is free from uncertainties connected with parton distributions, which are typical for the hadron colliders. As far as the new interactions do not conserve chirality, their effects increase with the mass of the particles. Therefore, the analysis of heavy particle decays, such a $`\tau `$ leptons, gives a unique possibility for searching these effects. It was noted in  that the new interactions lead to another parametrization of pure leptonic decays, different from the conventional Michel parametrization. The experimental analysis of the $`\tau `$ decays and constraints on the new tensor coupling are presented in .

The low energy physics is able either to constrain or to indicate the presence of the new kind intermediate particles. This can be realized mainly in precision experiments of particle decays. However, at present they do not obtain the deserved attention. It is noteworthy to point out here that, for example, the principal $`\rho `$ parameter in the muon decay has not been measured since 1969. Needless to say that a knowledge of the precision spectrum shape is important for the determination of the Fermi coupling constant $`G_F`$.

If some new interactions give a contribution into the muon decay, this will effectively lead to a lower value of $`G_F`$ in comparison with the experimentally extracted one, which assumes only SM interactions. It may help to solve the long-standing problem of a violation of unitarity in the first row of the Cabibbo–Kobayashi–Maskawa (CKM) matrix :

$$\left|V_{ud}\right|^2+\left|V_{us}\right|^2+\left|V_{ub}\right|^2=0.9968\pm 0.0014.$$
(20)
The main contribution into the unitarity sum (20) comes from the $`V_{ud}`$ element of the CKM matrix. This element is extracted with high precision from the nuclear superallowed beta decays $`0^+0^+`$, comparing the strength of this vector transition to $`G_F`$:

$$\left|V_{ud}\right|^2=\text{const}/G_F^2.$$
(21)
A two per mille lowered value of $`G_F`$ will restore the unitarity condition.

In principle, the new tensor interactions can be responsible for such a scenario . In this case the strength of these interactions must be comparable with the electroweak one and that can lead to additional observable contributions in other experiments. Let us point out some indication for a possible admixture of such interactions in radiative pion decay  and semileptonic three-body kaon decay .

First of all it is important to note that the tensor interactions do not contribute directly to the pion decay $`\pi e\nu `$ and avoid the strong constraints on the pseudoscalar interactions. Although the tensor interactions, like the scalar ones, do not conserve chirality and should give a large contribution into chirality-suppressed pion decay, this is impossible because a tensor form factor for the pion matrix element $`0|\overline{q}\sigma ^{mn}q|\pi (p)`$ cannot be constructed. A different situation arises when the radiative pion decay $`\pi e\nu \gamma `$ is considered. In this case the tensor interactions may give a contribution themselves and, moreover, may interfere with a QED inner bremsstrahlung contribution. Exactly such a type of destructive interference was observed in the radiative pion decays in flight .

The other experiment, where the tensor form factor can be introduced on the same footing as the vector form factor of the SM, is the semileptonic three-body kaon decay $`K\pi e\nu `$. As far as most of the experiments on kaon decays give information only about the vector form factors, the experimental data are poor. However, the last high-statistics experiment  indicates the presence of non-zero tensor form factor.

In ref.  it was shown that both the anomalous destructive interference in the radiative pion decay and the presence of a non-zero tensor form factor in the semileptonic kaon decay, may be explained by an admixture of tensor interactions. This is also compatible with the contribution of the tensor interactions into the pure leptonic decays at the per mille level . It is clear that new experiments are necessary to confirm or reject the presence of this new type of vector particles in nature.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to thank Igor Boiko for the fruitful discussions. I am also grateful to A. Dolgov and D. Kirilova for the careful reading of this manuscript and the valuable comments. I appreciate the warm hospitality of the Theory Division at CERN, where this work has been done.


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# On the relation between 2 and ∞ in Galois cohomology of number fields

## 1 Introduction

Number theorist’s nightmare, the prime number $`2`$, frequently causes technical problems and requires additional efforts. In Galois cohomology the problems with $`p=2`$ are essentially due to the fact that the decomposition groups of the real places are $`2`$-groups and so the case of a totally imaginary number field is comparatively easier to deal with.

A classical object of study in number theory is Galois groups with restricted ramification. For a number field $`k`$, a set $`S`$ of primes of $`k`$ and a prime number $`p`$, one is interested in the Galois group $`G_S(p)=G(k_S(p)|k)`$ of the maximal $`p`$-extension $`k_S(p)`$ of $`k`$ which is unramified outside $`S`$. If $`S`$ is empty, then $`G_S(p)`$ is the Galois group of the so-called $`p`$-class field tower of $`k`$ and, besides the fact that it can be infinite (Golod-Šafarevič), not much is known about this group. The situation is easier in the case that $`S`$ contains the set $`S_p`$ of primes dividing $`p`$, where the cohomological dimension of $`G_S(p)`$ is known to be less than or equal to two (cf. , (8.3.17), (10.4.9)). However, there is an exception: if $`p=2`$ and $`k`$ has at least one real place. If, in this exceptional case, $`S`$ contains all real places, then these places become complex in $`k_S(2)`$ and therefore $`G_S(2)`$, containing involutions, has infinite cohomological dimension. Furthermore, the virtual cohomological dimension $`vcdG_S(2)`$ is less than or equal to two in this case, i.e. $`G_S(2)`$ has an open subgroup $`U`$ with $`cdU2`$. The case when not all real places are in $`S`$ has been open so far and is the subject of this paper.

###### Theorem 1

Let $`k`$ be a number field and let $`S`$ be a set of primes of $`k`$ which contains all primes dividing $`2`$. If no real prime is in $`S`$, then $`cdG_S(2)2`$. If $`S`$ contains real primes, then they become complex in $`k_S(2)`$ and $`cdG_S(2)=\mathrm{}`$, $`vcdG_S(2)2`$.

If $`S`$ is finite, then $`H^i(G_S(2)):=H^i(G_S(2),/2)`$ is finite for all $`i`$ and

$$\chi _2(G_S(2))=r_2,$$

where $`\chi _2(G_S(2))=_{i=0}^2(1)^idim_{𝔽_2}H^i(G_S(2))`$ is the second partial Euler characteristic and $`r_2`$ is the number of complex places of $`k`$.

The key for the proof of theorem 1 is the following theorem 2 in the case $`p=2`$ and $`T=SS_{}`$, where $`S_{}`$ is the set of real places of $`k`$. Theorem 2 is the number theoretical analogue of Riemann’s existence theorem and was previously known under the assumption that $`p`$ is odd or that $`S`$ contains $`S_{}`$ (see , (10.5.1)).

###### Theorem 2

Let $`k`$ be a number field, $`p`$ a prime number and $`TSS_p`$ sets of primes of $`k`$. Then the canonical homomorphism

$$\underset{𝔭TS(k_S(p))}{\text{}}T(k_𝔭(p)|k_𝔭)\stackrel{}{}G(k_T(p)|k_S(p))$$

is an isomorphism. Here $`T(k_𝔭(p)|k_𝔭)G(k_𝔭(p)|k_𝔭)`$ is the inertia group and $`\text{}`$ denotes the free pro-$`p`$-product.

Since the cyclotomic $`_2`$-extension $`k_{\mathrm{}}(2)`$ of $`k`$ is contained in $`k_{S_2}(2)`$, the group $`G_{S_2}(2)`$ is infinite, in particular, it is nontrivial. Hence, for $`SS_2`$ and $`SS_{}=\mathrm{}`$, the group $`G_S(2)`$ is of cohomological dimension $`1`$ or $`2`$. The next theorem gives a criterion for which case occurs. In condition $`(3)`$ below, $`Cl_S^0(k)(2)`$ denotes the $`2`$-torsion part of the $`S`$-ideal class group in the narrow sense of $`k`$.

###### Theorem 3

Assume that $`SS_2`$ and $`SS_{}=\mathrm{}`$. Then $`cdG_S(2)=1`$ if and only if the following conditions $`(1)`$$`(3)`$ hold.

$`(1)`$$`S_2=\{𝔭_0\}`$, i.e. there exist exactly one prime dividing $`2`$ in $`k`$.

$`(2)`$$`S=\{𝔭_0\}\{\text{complex places}\}`$.

$`(3)`$$`Cl_S^0(k)(2)=0`$.

In this case, $`G_S(2)`$ is a free pro-$`2`$-group of rank $`r_2+1`$ and $`𝔭_0`$ does not split in $`k_{SS_{}}(2)`$. In particular, if $`k`$ is totally real and $`G_S(2)`$ is free, then $`k_S(2)=k_{\mathrm{}}(2)`$.

Let $`k`$ be a number field, $`p`$ a prime number and $`SS_p`$ a set of places of $`k`$. A (necessarily infinite) extension $`K|k`$ is called $`p`$-$`S`$-closed if it has no $`p`$-extension which is unramified outside $`S`$. If $`p`$ is odd and $`K`$ is $`p`$-$`S`$-closed, then the group $`Cl_S(K(\mu _p))(p)(j)^{G(K(\mu _p)|K)}`$ is trivial for $`j=0,1`$, where $`\mu _p`$ is the group of $`p`$-th roots of unity, $`(p)`$ denotes the $`p`$-torsion part and $`(j)`$ the $`j`$-th Tate-twist (see , (10.4.7)). The corresponding result for $`p=2`$ is the following

###### Theorem 4

Let $`k`$ be a number field, $`SS_2`$ a set of primes of $`k`$ and $`K`$ a $`2`$-$`S`$-closed extension of $`k`$. Then the following holds.

(i) $`Cl_S(K(\mu _4))(2)=0`$.

(ii) $`Cl_S^0(K)(2)=0.`$

Remarks: 1. The triviality of $`Cl(K)(2)`$, and hence also that of $`Cl_S(K)(2)`$, follows easily from the principal ideal theorem; assertions (i) and (ii) do not.

2. In (i) one can replace $`K(\mu _4)`$ by any totally imaginary extension of degree $`2`$ of $`K`$ in $`K_S(2)`$.

Finally, we consider the full extension $`k_S`$, i.e. the maximal extension of $`k`$ which is unramified outside $`S`$, and its Galois group $`G_S=G(k_S|k)`$.

###### Theorem 5

Let $`k`$ be a number field and $`S`$ a set of primes of $`k`$ containing all primes dividing $`2`$. Then $`vcd_2G_S2`$ and $`cd_2G_S2`$ if and only if $`S`$ contains no real primes. For every discrete $`G_S(2)`$-module $`A`$ the inflation maps

$$𝑖𝑛𝑓:H^i(G_S(2),A)H^i(G_S,A)(2)$$

are isomorphisms for all $`i1`$.

Remark: If $`cdG_S(K)(2)=2`$ (e.g. if $`K`$ contains at least two primes dividing $`2`$) for some finite subextension $`K`$ of $`k`$ in $`k_S`$, then $`vcd_2G_S=2`$. This is always the case if $`SS_{}`$ because the class numbers of the cyclotomic fields $`(\mu _{2^n})`$ are nontrivial for $`n0`$. But, for example, we do not know whether $`cd_2G(_{S_2}|)`$ equals $`1`$ or $`2`$. The answer would be ‘$`2`$’ if at least one of the real cyclotomic fields $`(\mu _{2^n})^+`$, $`n=2,3,\mathrm{}`$, would have a nontrivial class number. But this is unknown.

In section 5 we investigate the relation between the cohomology of the group $`G_S(k)`$ and the modified étale cohomology of the scheme $`Spec(𝒪_{k,S})`$. A discrete $`G_S(k)`$-module $`A`$ induces a locally constant sheaf on $`Spec(𝒪_{k,S})_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}}`$, which we will denote by the same letter. We show the following theorem which is well-known if $`S`$ contains all real primes (and also for odd $`p`$).

###### Theorem 6

Let $`k`$ be a number field and $`S`$ a finite set of primes of $`k`$ containing all primes dividing $`2`$. Then for every $`2`$-primary discrete $`G_S(k)`$-module $`A`$ the natural comparison maps

$$H^i(G_S(k),A)H_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}}^i(Spec(𝒪_{k,S}),A)$$

are isomorphisms for all $`i0`$.

For finite $`A`$ it is not difficult to show that the modified étale cohomology groups on the right hand side of the comparison map are finite and that they vanish for $`i3`$ if $`S`$ contains no real primes. Therefore one could deduce theorem 1 (with $`G_S(k)(2)`$ replaced by $`G_S(k)`$) from theorem 6. However, in order to prove theorem 6, one needs information on the interaction between the decomposition groups of the real primes and so theorem 1 and theorem 6 are both consequences of theorem 2.

The main ingredients in the proofs of theorems 1–5 are Poitou-Tate duality, the validity of the weak Leopoldt-conjecture for the cyclotomic $`_p`$-extension and, most essential, the systematic use of free products of bundles of profinite groups over a topological base. The reason that the above theorems had not been proven earlier seems to be a psychological one. At least the author always thought that one has to prove theorem 1 first, before showing the other assertions. For example, theorem 2 for $`p=2`$, $`T=S_2S_{}`$ and $`S=S_2`$ was known if $`k_{S_2}(2)=k_{\mathrm{}}(2)`$ (see , §4.2 for the case $`k=`$ and , Satz 1.4 for the general case). But now it is theorem 2 which is used in the proof of theorem 1. Finally, we should mention that theorem 1 was formulated as a conjecture in O. Neumann’s article .

The author wants to thank K. Wingberg for his comments which led to a substantial simplification in the proof of theorem 2.

## 2 Free products of inertia groups

In this section we briefly collect some facts on free products of profinite groups and how they naturally occur in number theory. For a more detailed presentation and for proofs of the facts cited below we refer the reader to , chap. IV and chap. X, §1.

A profinite space is a topological space which is compact and totally disconnected. Equivalently, a profinite space is a topological inverse limit of finite discrete spaces. A profinite group is a group object in the category of profinite spaces. It can be shown that a profinite group is the inverse limit of finite groups. A full class of finite groups $`𝔠`$ is a full subcategory of the category of all finite groups which is closed under taking subgroups, quotients and extensions. A pro-$`𝔠`$-group is a profinite group which is the inverse limit of groups in $`𝔠`$.

Let $`T`$ be a profinite space. A bundle of profinite groups $`𝒢`$ over $`T`$ is a group object in the category of profinite spaces over $`T`$. We say that $`𝒢`$ is a bundle of pro-$`𝔠`$-groups if the fibre $`𝒢_t`$ of $`𝒢`$ over every point $`tT`$ is a pro-$`𝔠`$-group. The functor “constant bundle”, which assigns to a pro-$`𝔠`$-group $`G`$ the bundle $`𝑝𝑟_2:G\times TT`$ has a left adjoint

$$\begin{array}{ccc}\left\{\text{bundles of pro-}𝔠\text{-groups over }T\right\}& \stackrel{}{}& \left\{\text{pro-}𝔠\text{-groups}\right\}\\ 𝒢& & \underset{T}{\text{}}𝒢.\end{array}$$

The image $`\text{}_T𝒢`$ of a bundle $`𝒢`$ under this functor is called its free pro-$`𝔠`$-product. It satisfies a universal property which is determined by the functor adjunction. Bundles of pro-$`𝔠`$-groups often arise in the following way:

Let $`G`$ be a pro-$`𝔠`$-group and assume we are given a continuous family of closed subgroups of $`G`$, i.e. a family of closed subgroups $`\{G_t\}_{tT}`$ indexed by the points of a profinite space $`T`$ which has the property that for every open subgroup $`UG`$ the set $`T(U)=\{tT|G_tU\}`$ is open in $`T`$. Then

$$𝒢=\{(g,t)G\times T|gG_t\}$$

is in a natural way a bundle of pro-$`𝔠`$-groups over $`T`$. We have a canonical homomorphism

$$\varphi :\underset{T}{\text{}}𝒢\stackrel{}{}G$$

and we say that $`G`$ is the free product of the family $`\{G_t\}_{tT}`$ if $`\varphi `$ is an isomorphism.

The usual free pro-$`𝔠`$-product of a discrete family of pro-$`𝔠`$-groups as defined in various places in the literature (e.g. ) fits into the picture as follows. For a family $`\{G_i\}_{iI}`$ we consider the disjoint union $`(\mathrm{}_{}^{\text{.}}{}_{i}{}^{}G_i)\mathrm{}^\text{.}\{\}`$ of the $`G_i`$ and one external point $``$. Equipped with a suitable topology, this is a bundle of pro-$`𝔠`$-groups over the one-point compactification $`\overline{I}=I\mathrm{}^\text{.}\{\}`$ of $`I`$ and the free pro-$`𝔠`$-product of the family $`\{G_i\}_{iI}`$ coincides with that of the bundle (cf. , chap.IV, §3, examples 2 and 4). For the free product of a discrete family of pro-$`𝔠`$-groups we have the following profinite version of Kurosh’s subgroup theorem (see  or , (4.2.1)).

###### Theorem 2.1

Let $`G=\underset{iI}{\text{}}G_i`$ be the free pro-$`𝔠`$-product of the discrete family $`G_i`$ and let $`H`$ be an open subgroup of $`G`$. Then there exist systems $`S_i`$ of representatives $`s_i`$ of the double coset decomposition $`G=\mathrm{}_{}^{\text{.}}{}_{s_iS_i}{}^{}Hs_iG_i`$ for all $`i`$ and a free pro-$`𝔠`$-group $`FG`$ of finite rank

$$rk(F)=\underset{iI}{}[(G:H)\mathrm{\#}S_i](G:H)+1,$$

such that the natural inclusions induce a free product decomposition

$$H=\underset{i,s_i}{\text{}}(G_i^{s_i}H)F,$$

where $`G_i^{s_i}`$ $`(=s_iG_is_i^1)`$ denotes the conjugate subgroup.

In number theory, continuous families of pro-$`𝔠`$-groups occur in the following way. For a number field $`k`$ we denote the one-point compactification of the set of all places of $`k`$ by $`Sp(k)`$. The compactifying point will be denoted by $`\eta _k`$ and should be thought as the generic point of the scheme $`Spec(𝒪_k)`$ in the sense of algebraic geometry or as the trivial valuation of $`k`$ from the point of view of valuation theory. For an infinite extension $`K|k`$, we set

$$Sp(K)=\underset{}{lim}_k^{}Sp(k^{}),$$

where $`k^{}`$ runs through all finite subextensions of $`k`$ in $`K`$. The complement of the (closed and open) subset of all archimedean places of $`K`$ in $`Sp(K)`$ is naturally isomorphic to $`Spec(𝒪_K)`$ endowed with the constructible topology (see , chap.I, §7, (7.2.11) for the definition of the constructible topology of a scheme). Let $`S`$ be a set of primes of $`k`$ and $`\overline{S}`$ its closure in $`Sp(k)`$ ($`\overline{S}=S`$ if $`S`$ is finite, $`\overline{S}=S\{\eta _k\}`$ if $`S`$ is infinite). The pre-image $`\overline{S}(K)`$ of $`\overline{S}`$ under the natural projection $`Sp(K)Sp(k)`$ is the closure of the set $`S(K)`$ of all prolongations of primes in $`S`$ to $`K`$ in $`Sp(K)`$.

Now assume that $`MKk`$ are possibly infinite extensions of $`k`$ such that $`M|K`$ is Galois and $`G(M|K)`$ is a pro-$`𝔠`$-group. The natural projection $`\overline{S}(M)\overline{S}(K)`$ has a section (in fact, there are many of them). For a fixed section $`s:\overline{S}(K)\overline{S}(M)`$ we consider the family of inertia groups $`\{T_{s(𝔭)}(M|K)\}_{𝔭\overline{S}(K)}`$, where by convention $`T_{\eta _M}=\{1\}`$. Since a finite extension of number fields is ramified only at finitely many primes, this is a continuous family of subgroups of $`G(M|K)`$ indexed by $`\overline{S}(K)`$. We obtain a natural homomorphism

$$\varphi :\underset{\overline{S}(K)}{\text{}}T_{s(𝔭)}(M|K)\stackrel{}{}G(M|K),$$

which we also write in the form

$$\varphi :\underset{𝔭S(K)}{\text{}}T_𝔭(M|K)\stackrel{}{}G(M|K).$$

The cohomology groups of the free product on the left hand side with coefficients in a trivial module do not depend on the particularly chosen section $`s`$. The question, however, whether the homomorphism $`\varphi `$ is an isomorphism does depend on $`s`$. Moreover, if $`s`$ is a section for which $`\varphi `$ is an isomorphism, we always find a section $`s^{}`$ for which it is not, at least if $`𝔠`$ is not the class of $`p`$-groups, where $`p`$ is a prime number. In the case of pro-$`p`$-groups this pathology does not occur because of the following easy and well-known

###### Lemma 2.2

Let $`p`$ be a prime number and let $`\varphi :G^{}G`$ be a (continuous) homomorphism of pro-$`p`$-groups. Let $`A`$ be $`/p`$ or $`_p/_p`$ with trivial action. Then $`\varphi `$ is an isomorphism if and only if the induced homomorphism

$$H^i(\varphi ,A):H^i(G,A)H^i(G^{},A)$$

is an isomorphism for $`i=1`$ and injective for $`i=2`$.

In the number theoretical situation above, we have the following formula for the cohomology of the free product with values in a torsion group $`A`$ (considered as a module with trivial action) and for $`i1`$:

$$H^i(\underset{𝔭S(K)}{\text{}}T_𝔭(M|K),A)=\underset{}{lim}_k^{}\underset{𝔭S(k^{})}{}H^i(T_𝔭(M^{}|k^{}),A),$$

where $`k^{}`$ runs through all finite subextensions of $`k`$ in $`K`$ and $`M^{}`$ is the maximal pro-$`𝔠`$ Galois subextension of $`M|k^{}`$ (so $`M=\underset{}{lim}M^{}`$). The limit on the right hand side depends on $`K`$ and not on $`k`$ and we denote it by

$$\underset{𝔭S(K)}{\stackrel{}{}}H^i(T_𝔭(M|K),A).$$

If $`K|k`$ is Galois, then this limit is the maximal discrete $`G(K|k)`$-submodule of the product $`_{𝔭S(K)}H^i(T_𝔭(M|K),A)`$.

## 3 Proof of theorem 2

Let us first remark that for $`𝔭TS(k)`$ the inertia group has the following structure:

-if $`𝔭`$ is nonarchimedean and $`N(𝔭)1modp`$ (i.e. if there is a primitive $`p`$-th root of unity in $`k_𝔭`$), then $`T(k_𝔭(p)|k_𝔭)`$ is a free pro-$`p`$-group of rank $`1`$, i.e. isomorphic to $`_p`$.

-if $`𝔭`$ is nonarchimedean and $`N(𝔭)1modp`$, then $`T(k_𝔭(p)|k_𝔭)=\{1\}`$.

-if $`𝔭`$ is real and $`p=2`$, then $`T(k_𝔭(p)|k_𝔭)/2`$.

-if $`𝔭`$ is real and $`p2`$ or if $`𝔭`$ is complex, then $`T(k_𝔭(p)|k_𝔭)=\{1\}`$.

If $`p`$ is odd or if $`p=2`$ and $`SS_{}`$, then theorem 2 is known (see , (10.5.1)). So we assume that $`p=2`$ and $`SS_{}`$. For a pro-$`2`$-group $`G`$ we use the notation $`H^i(G)`$ for $`H^i(G,/2)`$. We start with the following

###### Lemma 3.1

Let $`G`$ and $`G^{}`$ be pro-$`2`$-groups which are generated by involutions and assume that $`H^2(G,_2/_2)=0=H^2(G^{},_2/_2)`$. Let $`\varphi :G^{}G`$ be a (continuous) homomorphism. Then the following assertions are equivalent.

(i) $`\varphi `$ is an isomorphism.

(ii) $`H^1(\varphi ):H^1(G)H^1(G^{})`$ is an isomorphism.

(iii) $`H^2(\varphi ):H^2(G)H^2(G^{})`$ is an isomorphism.

Proof: Clearly, (i) implies (ii) and (iii) and, by lemma 2.2, (ii) and (iii) together imply (i). So it remains to show that (ii) and (iii) are equivalent. Since $`H^2(G,_2/_2)=0`$, the exact sequence $`0/2_2/_2_2/_20`$ induces the four term exact sequence

$$0H^1(G)\stackrel{\alpha }{}H^1(G,_2/_2)\stackrel{\beta }{}H^1(G,_2/_2)\stackrel{\gamma }{}H^2(G)0.$$

Since $`G`$ is generated by involutions, $`\alpha `$ is an isomorphism. Hence $`\beta `$ is zero and $`\gamma `$ is an isomorphism. The same argument also applies to $`G^{}`$ and therefore (ii) and (iii) are both equivalent to

(iv) $`H^1(\varphi ,_2/_2):H^1(G,_2/_2)H^1(G^{},_2/_2)`$ is an isomorphism.

This concludes the proof.  $`\mathrm{}`$

We show theorem 2 first in the special case $`T=S_2S_{}`$, $`S=S_2`$. The groups $`\text{}_{𝔭S_{}(k_{S_2}(2))}T(k_𝔭(2)|k_𝔭)`$ and $`G(k_{S_2S_{}}(2)|k_{S_2}(2))`$ are both generated by involutions. Since $`H^2(T(k_𝔭(2)|k_𝔭),_2/_2)=0`$ for every $`𝔭S_{}(k_{S_2}(2))`$, we have

$$H^2(\underset{𝔭S_{}(k_{S_2}(2))}{\text{}}T(k_𝔭(2)|k_𝔭),_2/_2)=0.$$

By , (10.4.8), the inflation map

$$H^2(G(k_{S_2S_{}}(2)|k_{S_2}(2)),_2/_2)H^2(G(k_{S_2S_{}}|k_{S_2}(2)),_2/_2)$$

is an isomorphism and, since $`k_{S_2}(2)`$ contains the cyclotomic $`_2`$-extension $`k_{\mathrm{}}(2)`$ of $`k`$, the validity of the weak Leopoldt-conjecture for the cyclotomic $`_p`$-extension (see , (10.3.25)) implies (by , (10.3.22)) that

$$H^2(G(k_{S_2S_{}}(2)|k_{S_2}(2)),_2/_2)=0.$$

By lemma 3.1 and the calculation of the cohomology of free products (see §1), it therefore suffices to show that the natural map

$$H^2(\varphi ):H^2(G(k_{S_2S_{}}(2)|k_{S_2}(2))\underset{𝔭S_{}(k_{S_2}(2))}{\overset{}{}}H^2\left(T(k_𝔭(2)|k_𝔭)\right)$$

is an isomorphism. Now let $`K`$ be a finite extension of $`k`$ inside $`k_S(2)`$. The $`9`$-term exact sequence of Poitou-Tate induces the exact sequence

$$0\text{X}^2(K_{S_2S_{}},/2)H^2(G(k_{S_2S_{}}|K),/2)$$

$`{\displaystyle \underset{𝔭S_2S_{}(K)}{}}H^2(G(\overline{k}_𝔭|K_𝔭),/2)H^0(G(k_{S_2S_{}}|K),\mu _2)^{}0`$,

where $``$ denotes the Pontryagin dual. Furthermore, we have

$$\text{X}^2(K_{S_2S_{}},/2)\text{X}^1(K_{S_2S_{}},\mu _2)^{}=\text{X}^1(K_{S_2S_{}},/2)^{}=Cl_{S_2}(K)/2.$$

For a finite, nontrivial extension $`K^{}`$ of $`K`$ inside $`k_{S_2}(2)`$ the corresponding homomorphism $`H^0(G(k_{S_2S_{}}|K),\mu _2)^{}H^0(G(k_{S_2S_{}}|K^{}),\mu _2)^{}`$ is the dual of the norm map, hence trivial. Furthermore, $`H^2(G(\overline{k}_𝔭|(k_{S_2}(2))_𝔭),/2)=0`$ for $`𝔭S_2(k_{S_2}(2))`$ (see , (7.1.8)(i)). Therefore we obtain the following exact sequence in the limit over all finite subextensions $`K|k`$ in $`k_{S_2}(2)|k`$ (the omitted coefficients are $`/2`$):

$$Cl_{S_2}(k_{S_2}(2))/2H^2\left(G(k_{S_2S_{}}|k_{S_2}(2))\right)\underset{𝔭S_{}(k_{S_2}(2))}{\overset{}{}}H^2\left(G(\overline{k}_𝔭|k_𝔭)\right).$$

The principal ideal theorem implies that $`Cl(k_{S_2}(2))(2)=0`$, and therefore also $`Cl_{S_2}(k_{S_2}(2))/2=0`$. Furthermore, $`G(\overline{k}_𝔭|k_𝔭)=T(k_𝔭(2)|k_𝔭)`$ for $`𝔭S_{}(k_{S_2}(2))`$ and the inflation map

$$H^2\left(G(k_{S_2S_{}}(2)|k_{S_2}(2))\right)H^2\left(G(k_{S_2S_{}}|k_{S_2}(2))\right)$$

is an isomorphism (see , (10.4.8)). This concludes the proof of theorem 2 in the case $`T=S_2S_{}`$, $`S=S_2`$. For the proof in the general case we need the

###### Proposition 3.2

Let $`k`$ be a number field, $`p`$ a prime number and $`TSS_p`$ sets of primes in $`k`$. Let $`K`$ be a $`p`$-$`S_p`$-closed extension of $`k`$. Then the following assertions are equivalent.

(i) The natural homomorphism

$$\varphi _{T,S_p}:\underset{𝔭TS_p(K)}{\text{}}T(K_𝔭(p)|K_𝔭)G(K_T(p)|K)$$

is an isomorphism.

(ii) The natural homomorphisms

$$\varphi _{T,S}:\underset{𝔭TS(K_S(p))}{\text{}}T(K_𝔭(p)|K_𝔭)G(K_T(p)|K_S(p))$$

and

$$\varphi _{S,S_p}:\underset{𝔭SS_p(K)}{\text{}}T(K_𝔭(p)|K_𝔭)G(K_S(p)|K)$$

are isomorphisms.

Here $`\text{}`$ denotes the free pro-$`p`$-product.

Proof: If $`\varphi _{T,S_p}`$ is an isomorphism, then also $`\varphi _{S,S_p}`$ is an isomorphism. Furthermore, a straightforward application of theorem 2.1 shows that also $`\varphi _{T,S}`$ is an isomorphism in this case. Let us show the converse statement. Assume that $`\varphi _{T,S}`$ and $`\varphi _{S,S_p}`$ are isomorphisms. Note that all primes in $`SS_p(K_S(p))`$ split completely in $`K_T(p)|K_S(p)`$. Therefore the extension of pro-$`p`$-groups

(1)
$$1G(K_T(p)|K_S(p))G(K_T(p)|K)G(K_S(p)|K)1$$

splits. By lemma 2.2, we have to show that the induced homomorphism

$$H^i(\varphi _{T,S_p}):H^i\left(G(K_T(p)|K)\right)\underset{𝔭TS_p(K)}{\overset{}{}}H^i\left(T(K_𝔭(p)|K_𝔭)\right)$$

is an isomorphism for $`i=1`$ and injective for $`i=2`$ (coefficients $`/p`$). This follows easily from the Hochschild-Serre spectral sequence associated to the split exact sequence (1):

$$E_2^{ij}=H^i(G(K_S(p)|K),H^j(G(K_T(p)|K_S(p))))H^{i+j}(G(K_T(p)|K)).$$

First of all, the differentials $`d_2`$ are zero ($`d_2`$ is the cup-product with the extension class, see , (2.1.8)). Furthermore, every prime in $`TS(K)`$ splits completely in $`K_S(p)|K`$ because these primes are unramified in $`K_S(p)|K`$ and $`K`$ contains $`K_{\mathrm{}}(p)`$. Since $`\varphi _{T,S}`$ is an isomorphism, the $`G(K_S(p)|K)`$-module ($`j1`$)

$$\begin{array}{ccc}H^j(G(K_T(p)|K_S(p)))& =& \hfill \underset{𝔭TS(K_S(p))}{\stackrel{}{}}H^j(T(K_𝔭(p)|K_𝔭))\\ & =& \hfill Ind_{G(K_S(p)|K)}\underset{𝔭TS(K)}{\stackrel{}{}}H^j(T(K_𝔭(p)|K_𝔭))\end{array}$$

is cohomologically trivial. Therefore we obtain short exact sequences

$$0H^i(K_S(p)|K)H^i(K_T(p)|K)\underset{𝔭TS(K)}{\overset{}{}}H^i(T(K_𝔭(p)|K_𝔭))0$$

for $`i=1,2`$, and the result follows from the five-lemma.  $`\mathrm{}`$

Now we can prove theorem 2 in the general case. It is true for odd $`p`$ and for $`p=2`$ in the special cases $`T=S_2S_{}`$, $`S=S_2`$ and $`T=\{\text{all primes}\}`$, $`S=S_2S_{}`$. Applying proposition 3.2 in the situation $`p=2`$, $`T=\{\text{all primes}\}`$, $`S=S_2S_{}`$ and $`K=k_{S_2}(2)`$, we obtain theorem 2 in the ‘extremal’ case $`T=\{\text{all primes}\}`$, $`S=S_2`$. Applying proposition 3.2 again, we obtain the case $`T=\{\text{all primes}\}`$ and $`S`$ arbitrary and then the general case. This concludes the proof of theorem 2.

A straightforward limit process shows the following variant of theorem 2.

Theorem 2’  Let $`k`$ be a number field, $`p`$ a prime number and $`TSS_p`$ sets of primes of $`k`$. Let $`K`$ be a $`p`$-$`S`$-closed extension field of $`k`$. Then the canonical homomorphism

$$\underset{𝔭TS(K)}{\text{}}T(K_𝔭(p)|K_𝔭)\stackrel{}{}G(K_T(p)|K)$$

is an isomorphism.

## 4 Proofs of the remaining statements

In order to prove theorem 1, we may assume that $`SS_{}`$ and we investigate the Hochschild-Serre spectral sequence

$$E_2^{ij}=H^i(G_S(2),H^j(G(k_{SS_{}}(2)|k_S(2)))H^{i+j}(G_{SS_{}}(2)),$$

where the omitted coefficient are $`/2=\mu _2`$. By theorem 2, we have complete control over the $`G_S(2)`$-modules $`H^j(G(k_{SS_{}}(2)|k_S(2))`$, which are for $`j1`$ isomorphic to

$$Ind_{G_S(2)}\underset{𝔭S_{}S(k)}{}H^j(G(|)).$$

In particular, $`E_2^{ij}=0`$ for $`ij0`$. Therefore the spectral sequence induces an exact sequence

(2)
$$0H^1(G_S(2))H^1(G_{SS_{}}(2))\underset{𝔭S_{}S(k)}{}H^1(G(|))$$

$`H^2(G_S(2))H^2(G_{SS_{}}(2)){\displaystyle \underset{𝔭S_{}S(k)}{}}H^2(G(|))0`$

and exact sequences

(3)
$$0H^i(G_S(2))H^i(G_{SS_{}}(2))\underset{𝔭S_{}S(k)}{}H^i(G(|))0.$$

for $`i3`$. If $`S`$ is finite, this shows the finiteness statement on the cohomology of $`G_S(2)`$ and that

$$\chi _2(G_S(2))=\chi _2(G_{SS_{}}(2)).$$

But $`\chi _2(G_{SS_{}}(2))=\chi _2(G_{SS_{}})=r_2`$ (see , (8.6.16) and (10.4.8)).

For arbitrary $`S`$ and $`i3`$ the restriction map

$$H^i(G_{SS_{}}(2))\underset{𝔭S_{}(k)}{}H^i(G(|))$$

is an isomorphism (see , (8.6.13)(ii) and (10.4.8)). This together with (3) shows that the natural homomorphism

$$H^i(G_S(2))\underset{𝔭SS_{}(k)}{}H^i(G(|))$$

is an isomorphism for $`i3`$. Therefore $`cdG_S(2)2`$ if $`SS_{}=\mathrm{}`$. For later use we formulate the last result as a proposition.

###### Proposition 4.1

Let $`k`$ be a number field and $`SS_2`$ a set of primes. Then the natural homomorphism

$$H^i(G_S(2),/2)\underset{𝔭SS_{}(k)}{}H^i(G(|),/2)$$

is an isomorphism for $`i3`$.

In order to conclude the proof of theorem 1, it remains to show that every real prime in $`S`$ ramifies in $`k_S(2)`$. Let $`S^f`$ be the subset of nonarchimedean primes in $`S`$. Then theorem 2 yields an isomorphism

$$\underset{𝔭S_{}(k_{S^f}(2))}{\text{}}T(k_𝔭(2)|k_𝔭)G(k_S(2)|k_{S^f}(2))$$

which shows the required assertion. This finishes the proof of theorem 1.

Now we prove theorem 3. To fix conventions, we recall the following definitions. For a set $`S`$ of primes of $`k`$ the group $`𝒪_{k,S}^\times `$ of $`S`$-units is defined as the subgroup in $`k^\times `$ of those elements which are units at every finite prime not in $`S`$ and positive at every real prime not in $`S`$. The $`S`$-ideal class group $`Cl_S^0(k)`$ in the narrow sense of $`k`$ is the quotient of the group of fractional ideals of $`k`$ by the subgroup generated by the nonarchimedean primes in $`S`$ and the principal ideals $`(a)`$ with $`a`$ positive at every real place of $`k`$ not contained in $`S`$. In particular, $`Cl_{\mathrm{}}^0(k)=Cl^0(k)`$ is the ideal class group in the narrow sense and $`Cl_{SS_{}}^0(k)=Cl_S(k)`$ is the usual $`S`$-ideal class group. By class field theory, $`Cl_S^0(k)`$ is isomorphic to the Galois group of the maximal abelian extension of $`k`$ which is unramified outside $`S_{}`$ and in which every prime in $`S`$ splits completely. By Kummer theory, we can replace condition (3) of theorem 3 by the following condition

(3’) $`\{xk^\times |xk_{𝔭_0}^{\times 2}\text{ and }2|v_𝔭(x)\text{ for every finite prime }𝔭\}=k^{\times 2}.`$

###### Lemma 4.2

If $`SS_2`$ and $`cdG_{S_2}(2)=1`$, then $`S=S_2`$.

Proof: By theorem 2, we have an isomorphism

$$\underset{𝔭SS_2(k_{S_2}(2))}{\text{}}T(k_𝔭(2)|k_𝔭)\stackrel{}{}G(k_S(2)|k_{S_2}(2))$$

Since for nonarchimedean primes $`𝔭S_2`$ the maximal unramified $`2`$-extension of $`k_𝔭`$ is realized by $`k_{\mathrm{}}(2)k_{S_2}(2)`$, this shows that for $`𝔭SS_2`$ the maximal $`2`$-extension of the local field $`k_𝔭`$ is realized by $`k_S(2)`$ or, in other words, the natural homomorphism

$$G(k_𝔭(2)|k_𝔭)G_S(2)$$

is injective. But for these primes we have $`cdG(k_𝔭(2)|k_𝔭)2`$ which shows that $`SS_2=\mathrm{}`$.  $`\mathrm{}`$

Now assume that $`G_{S_2}(2)`$ is free. For a prime $`𝔭`$ we denote the local group $`G(k_𝔭(2)|k_𝔭)`$ by $`𝒢_𝔭`$ and the inertia group $`T(k_𝔭(2)|k_𝔭)`$ by $`𝒯_𝔭`$. By Čebotarev’s density theorem, we find a finite set of nonarchimedean primes $`TS_2`$ such that the natural homomorphism

$$H^1(G_{S_2})\underset{𝔭TS}{}H^1(𝒢_𝔭/𝒯_𝔭)$$

is an isomorphism. It is then an easy exercise using lemma 2.2 to show that the natural homomorphism

$$\underset{𝔭TS_2}{\text{}}𝒢_𝔭/𝒯_𝔭G_{S_2}(2)$$

is an isomorphism. Theorem 2 for $`T=S_2S_{}`$ and $`S=S_2`$ and the same arguments as in the proof of proposition 3.2 show that the natural homomorphism

$$\underset{𝔭TS_2}{\text{}}𝒢_𝔭/𝒯_𝔭\underset{𝔭S_{}}{\text{}}𝒢_𝔭G_{S_2S_{}}(2)$$

is an isomorphism. Then, by (, Theorem 6) or (, (10.7.2)), we obtain the conditions (1)–(3) and that the unique prime $`𝔭_0`$ dividing $`2`$ in $`k`$ does not split in $`k_{S_2S_{}}`$. If, on the other hand, conditions (1)–(3) of theorem 3 are satisfied, then we obtain (loc. cit.) the above isomorphism and deduce that $`G_{S_2}(2)`$ is free. The statement on the rank of $`G_{S_2}(2)`$ follows from $`\chi _2(G_{S_2}(2))=r_2`$. If $`k`$ is totally real, then the homomorphism

$$G_{S_2}(2)G(k_{\mathrm{}}(2)|k)$$

is a surjection of free pro-$`2`$-groups of rank $`1`$ and hence an isomorphism. This concludes the proof of theorem 3.

Next we show theorem 4. Let $`S`$ be a set of finite primes of $`k`$ and $`\mathrm{\Sigma }=SS_{}`$. If $`S`$ is finite, then the image of the group of $`\mathrm{\Sigma }`$-units of $`k`$ under the logarithm map $`\text{Log}:𝒪_{k,\mathrm{\Sigma }}^\times _{v\mathrm{\Sigma }}`$, $`a(\mathrm{log}|a|_v)_{vS}`$ is a lattice of rank equal to $`\mathrm{\#}S+r_1+r_21`$ (Dirichlet’s unit theorem). Complementary to this map is the signature map (which is also defined for infinite $`S`$)

$$𝑆𝑖𝑔𝑛_{k,S}:𝒪_{k,\mathrm{\Sigma }}^\times \underset{vS_{}}{}^\times /^{\times 2}.$$

More or less by definition, there exists a five-term exact sequence

$$0𝒪_{k,S}^\times 𝒪_{k,\mathrm{\Sigma }}^\times \underset{vS_{}(k)}{}^\times /^{\times 2}Cl_S^0(k)Cl_\mathrm{\Sigma }^0(k)0,$$

and so the cokernel of $`𝑆𝑖𝑔𝑛_{k,S}`$ measures the difference between the usual $`S`$-ideal class group $`Cl_S(k)=Cl_\mathrm{\Sigma }^0(k)`$ and that in the narrow sense. Of course this discussion is void if $`k`$ is totally imaginary. If $`K`$ is an infinite extension of $`k`$, we define the signature map

$$𝑆𝑖𝑔𝑛_{K,S}:𝒪_{K,\mathrm{\Sigma }}^\times \underset{}{lim}_k^{}\underset{vS_{}(k^{})}{}^\times /^\times $$

as the limit over the signature maps $`𝑆𝑖𝑔𝑛_{k^{},S}`$, where $`k^{}`$ runs through all finite subextension $`k^{}|k`$ of $`K|k`$. If $`K`$ is $`2`$-$`S`$-closed, then $`Cl_S(K)(2)=0`$ and so statement (ii) of theorem 4 is equivalent to the statement that $`𝑆𝑖𝑔𝑛_K`$ is surjective.

Now assume that $`k`$, $`S`$, $`K`$ are as in theorem 4. By theorem 1, all real places in $`S`$ become complex in $`K`$. By the principal ideal theorem, $`Cl(K)(2)=2`$ and so statement (i) and (ii) are trivial if $`K`$ is totally imaginary (note that $`K=K(\mu _4)`$ in this case). So we may assume that $`S_{}(K)\mathrm{}`$ and, by theorem 1, we may suppose $`SS_{}=\mathrm{}`$.

Let $`K^{}=K(\mu _4)`$. Then $`K^{}`$ is totally imaginary and $`G=G(K^{}|K)`$ is cyclic of order $`2`$. Let $`\mathrm{\Sigma }=SS_{}`$ and let $`K_\mathrm{\Sigma }`$ be the maximal (not just the pro-$`2`$) extension of $`K`$ which is unramified outside $`\mathrm{\Sigma }`$. Inspecting the Hochschild-Serre spectral sequence associated to $`K_\mathrm{\Sigma }|K_\mathrm{\Sigma }(2)|K`$ and using the well-known calculation of $`H^i(G(K_\mathrm{\Sigma }|K),𝒪_{K_\mathrm{\Sigma },\mathrm{\Sigma }}^\times )`$ (cf. , (10.4.8)) we see that

(4)
$$\begin{array}{ccc}H^1(G(K_\mathrm{\Sigma }(2)|K),𝒪_{K_\mathrm{\Sigma }(2),\mathrm{\Sigma }}^\times )& =& H^1(G(K_\mathrm{\Sigma }|K),𝒪_{K_\mathrm{\Sigma },\mathrm{\Sigma }}^\times )(2)\hfill \\ & =& Cl_S(K)(2)=0\hfill \end{array}$$

and the same argument shows that

(5)
$$H^1(G(K_\mathrm{\Sigma }(2)|K^{}),𝒪_{K_\mathrm{\Sigma }(2),\mathrm{\Sigma }}^\times )Cl_S(K^{})(2).$$

Next we consider the Hochschild-Serre spectral sequence for the extension$`K_\mathrm{\Sigma }(2)|K^{}|K`$ and the module $`𝒪_{K_\mathrm{\Sigma }(2),\mathrm{\Sigma }}^\times `$. By (4) and (5), we obtain an exact sequence

$$0Cl_S(K^{})(2)^GH^2(G,𝒪_{K^{},\mathrm{\Sigma }}^\times )\stackrel{\varphi }{}H^2(G(K_\mathrm{\Sigma }(2)|K),𝒪_{K_\mathrm{\Sigma }(2),\mathrm{\Sigma }}^\times ).$$

Since $`G`$ is a $`2`$-group, in order to prove assertion (i), it suffices to show that $`\varphi `$ is injective. Let $`c`$ be a generator of the cyclic group $`H^2(G,)`$. For each prime $`𝔭S_{}(K)`$ (respectively for the chosen prolongation of $`𝔭`$ to $`K_\mathrm{\Sigma }(2)`$, cf. the discussion in section 1), the composition $`T_𝔭(K_\mathrm{\Sigma }(2)|K)G(K_\mathrm{\Sigma }(2)|K)G`$ is an isomorphism and we denote the image of $`c`$ in $`H^2(T_𝔭(K_\mathrm{\Sigma }(2)|K),)`$ by $`c_𝔭`$. As is well known, the cup-product with $`c`$ induces an isomorphism $`\widehat{H}^0(G,𝒪_{K^{},\mathrm{\Sigma }}^\times )\stackrel{}{}H^2(G,𝒪_{K^{},\mathrm{\Sigma }}^\times )`$ and the similar statement holds for each $`c_𝔭`$, $`𝔭S_{}(K)`$.

The quotient $`𝒪_{K_\mathrm{\Sigma }(2),\mathrm{\Sigma }}^\times /\mu _2^{\mathrm{}}`$ is uniquely $`2`$-divisible, and so we obtain a natural isomorphism

$$H^2(G(K_\mathrm{\Sigma }(2)|K),\mu _2^{\mathrm{}})\stackrel{}{}H^2(G(K_\mathrm{\Sigma }(2)|K),𝒪_{K_\mathrm{\Sigma }(2),\mathrm{\Sigma }}^\times ).$$

Furthermore, for each $`𝔭S_{}S`$ we obtain an isomorphism

$$\begin{array}{ccc}H^2(T_𝔭(K_\mathrm{\Sigma }(2)|K),\mu _2^{\mathrm{}})& \stackrel{}{}& H^2(T_𝔭(K_\mathrm{\Sigma }(2)|K),𝒪_{K_\mathrm{\Sigma }(2),\mathrm{\Sigma }}^\times )\hfill \\ & & H^2(G(\overline{K}_𝔭|K_𝔭),\overline{K}_𝔭^\times ).\hfill \end{array}$$

Therefore, the calculation of the cohomology in dimension $`i2`$ of free products with values in torsion modules (see , Satz 4.1 or , (4.1.4)) and theorem 2 for the pair $`\mathrm{\Sigma }`$, $`S`$ show that we have a natural isomorphism

$$H^2(G(K_\mathrm{\Sigma }(2)|K),𝒪_{K_\mathrm{\Sigma }(2),\mathrm{\Sigma }}^\times )\stackrel{}{}\underset{𝔭S_{}(K)}{\overset{}{}}H^2(G(\overline{K}_𝔭|K_𝔭),\overline{K}_𝔭^\times ).$$

(Alternatively, we could have obtained this isomorphism from the calculation of the cohomology of the $`\mathrm{\Sigma }`$-units, cf. (, (8.3.10)(iii)) by passing to the limit over all finite subextensions of $`k`$ in $`K`$). We obtain the following commutative diagram

Hence $`ker(\varphi )ker(\psi )`$ and $`coker(\varphi )coker(\psi )`$. Since $`\widehat{H}^0(G,𝒪_{K^{},\mathrm{\Sigma }}^\times )=𝒪_{K,\mathrm{\Sigma }}^\times /N_{K^{}|K}(𝒪_{K^{},\mathrm{\Sigma }}^\times )`$, each element in $`ker(\psi )`$ is represented by an $`S`$-unit in $`K`$ and we have to show that all these are norms of $`\mathrm{\Sigma }`$-units in $`K^{}`$. Let $`e𝒪_{K,S}^\times `$. Then $`K(\sqrt{e})|K`$ is a $`2`$-extension which is unramified outside $`S`$, hence trivial. Therefore $`e`$ is a square in $`K`$ and if $`f^2=e`$, then $`f𝒪_{K,\mathrm{\Sigma }}^\times `$ and $`e=N_{K^{}|K}(f)`$. This concludes the proof of assertion (i).

To show assertion (ii), it remains to show that $`coker(𝑆𝑖𝑔𝑛_{K,S})=coker(\psi )coker(\varphi )`$ is trivial. Using the same spectral sequence as before, in order to see that $`coker(\varphi )=0`$, it suffices to show that the spectral terms

\- $`E_2^{02}=H^0(G,H^2(G(K_\mathrm{\Sigma }(2)|K^{}),𝒪_{K_\mathrm{\Sigma }(2),\mathrm{\Sigma }}^\times ))`$ and

\- $`E_2^{11}=H^1(G,Cl_S(K^{})(2))`$

are trivial. The first assertion is easy, because $`K^{}`$ is totally imaginary and contains $`k_{\mathrm{}}(2)`$ and so $`H^2(G(K_\mathrm{\Sigma }(2)|K^{}),𝒪_{K_\mathrm{\Sigma }(2),\mathrm{\Sigma }}^\times )=0`$. That the second spectral term is trivial follows from (i). This completes the proof of theorem 4.

Finally, we prove theorem 5. The statement on $`cd_2G_S`$ and $`vcd_2G_S`$ follows by choosing a $`2`$-Sylow subgroup $`HG_S`$ and applying theorem 1 to all finite subextensions of $`k`$ in $`(k_S)^H`$. It remains to show the statement on the inflation map. It is equivalent to the statement that

$$𝑖𝑛𝑓_{(2)}:H^i(G_S(2),A)_{(2)}H^i(G_S,A)_{(2)}$$

is an isomorphism for every discrete $`G_S(2)`$-module $`A`$ and all $`i0`$, where $`_{(2)}`$ denotes the localization of $``$ at the prime ideal $`(2)`$.

Since cohomology commutes with inductive limits, we may assume that $`A`$ is finitely generated (as a $``$-module). Using the exact sequences

$$0tor(A)AA/tor(A)0,$$

$$0A/tor(A)\left(A/tor(A)\right)\left(A/tor(A)\right)/0$$

and using the limit argument for $`\left(A/tor(A)\right)/`$ again, we are reduced to the case that $`A`$ is finite. Every finite $`G_S(2)`$-module is the direct sum of its $`2`$-part and its prime-to-$`2`$-part. The statement is obvious for the prime-to-$`2`$-part and every finite $`2`$-primary $`G_S(2)`$-module has a composition series whose quotients are isomorphic to $`/2`$. Therefore we are reduced to showing the statement on the inflation map for $`A=/2`$. But it is more convenient to work with $`A=_2/_2`$ (with trivial action) which is possible by the exact sequence

$$0/2_2/_2_2/_20.$$

Using the Hochschild-Serre spectral sequence for the extensions $`k_S|k_S(2)|k`$, we thus have to show that

$$H^i(G(k_S|k_S(2)),_2/_2)=0$$

for $`i1`$. The case $`i=1`$ is obvious by the definition of the field $`k_S(2)`$. By theorem 1, every real prime in $`S`$ becomes complex in $`k_S(2)`$ and therefore $`cd_2G(k_S|k_S(2))2`$. It remains to show that $`H^2(G(k_S|k_S(2)),_2/_2)=0`$. Therefore the next proposition implies the remaining statement of theorem 5.

###### Proposition 4.3

Let $`k`$ be a number field, $`SS_2`$ a set of primes in $`k`$ and $`Kk_{\mathrm{}}(2)`$ an extension of $`K`$ in $`k_S`$. Then

$$H^2(G(k_S|K),_2/_2)=0.$$

Proof: Let $`H`$ be a $`2`$-Sylow subgroup in $`G(k_S|K)`$ and $`L=(k_S)^H`$. Then the restriction map

$$H^2(G(k_S|K),_2/_2)H^2(G(k_S|L),_2/_2)$$

is injective and so, replacing $`K`$ by $`L`$, we may suppose that $`k_S=K_S(2)`$. Applying theorem 2’ to the $`2`$-$`S`$-closed field $`K_S(2)`$, we obtain an isomorphism

$$G(K_{SS_{}}(2)|K_S(2))\underset{𝔭S_{}(K_S(2))}{\text{}}T_𝔭(K_𝔭(2)|K_𝔭).$$

Hence we have complete control over the Hochschild-Serre spectral sequence associated to $`K_{SS_{}}(2)|K_S(2)|K`$. Furthermore, the weak Leopoldt conjecture holds for the cyclotomic $`_2`$-extension and $`Kk_{\mathrm{}}(2)`$, which implies that $`H^2(G(K_{SS_{}}(2)|K),_2/_2)=0`$. The exact sequence (2) of §4 applied to all finite subextensions $`k^{}|k`$ of $`K|k`$ yields a surjection

$$\underset{𝔭S_{}S(K)}{\overset{}{}}H^1(T(K_𝔭(2)|K_𝔭),_2/_2)\stackrel{}{-}H^2(G(K_S(2)|K),_2/_2).$$

and therefore, in order to prove the proposition, it suffices to show that the group $`H^2(G(K_S(2)|K),_2/_2)`$ is $`2`$-divisible. This is trivial if $`SS_{}(K)=\mathrm{}`$ because then $`cdG(K_S(2)|K)2`$. Otherwise, this follows from the commutative diagram

$$\begin{array}{ccc}H^2(G(K_S(2)|K),_2/_2)/2& & H^3(G(K_S(2)|K),/2)\\ & & \\ \underset{𝔭SS_{}(K)}{\stackrel{}{}}H^2(T(K_𝔭(2)|K_𝔭),_2/_2)/2& & \underset{𝔭SS_{}(K)}{\stackrel{}{}}H^3(T(K_𝔭(2)|K_𝔭),/2).\end{array}$$

The right hand vertical arrow is an isomorphism by proposition 4.1. But $`H^2(T(K_𝔭(2)|K_𝔭),_2/_2)=0`$ for all $`𝔭SS_{}(K)`$ and therefore the object in the lower left corner is zero.  $`\mathrm{}`$

## 5 Relation to étale cohomology

Let $`k`$ be a number field and $`S`$ a finite set of places of $`k`$. We think of $`Spec(𝒪_{k,S})`$ as “$`\{\text{scheme-theoretic points of }Spec(𝒪_{k,S})\}\{\text{real places of }k\text{ not in }S\text{}}`$”.Essentially following Zink , we introduce the site $`Spec(𝒪_{k,S})_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}}`$.

Objects of the category are pairs $`\overline{U}=(U,U_{𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙})`$, where $`U`$ is a scheme together with an étale structural morphism $`\varphi _U:USpec(𝒪_{k,S})`$ and $`U_{𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙}`$ is a subset of the set of real valued points $`U()=𝑀𝑜𝑟_{Schemes}(Spec(),U)`$ of $`U`$ such that $`\varphi _U(U_{𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙})S_{}(k)S`$.

Morphisms are scheme morphisms $`f:UV`$ over $`Spec(𝒪_{k,S})`$ satisfying $`f(U_{𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙})V_{𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙}`$.

Coverings are families $`\{\pi _i:\overline{U}_i\overline{U}\}_{iI}`$ such that $`\{\pi _i:U_iU\}_{iI}`$ is an étale covering in the usual sense and $`_{iI}\pi _i(U_{i}^{}{}_{𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙}{}^{})=U_{𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙}`$.

There exists an obvious morphism of sites

$$Spec(𝒪_{k,S})_{𝑒𝑡}Spec(𝒪_{k,S})_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}}$$

and both sites coincide if $`S`$ contains all real places of $`k`$. The pair $`\overline{X}=(X,X_{𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙})`$ with $`X=Spec(𝒪_{k,S})`$ and $`X_{𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙}=S_{}(k)S`$ is the terminal object of the category and the profinite group $`G_S(k)`$ is nothing else but the fundamental group of $`\overline{X}`$ with respect to this site. Let $`\eta `$ denote the generic point of $`X`$. For a sheaf $`A`$ of abelian groups on $`Spec(𝒪_{k,S})_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}}`$ and for any point $`v`$ of $`\overline{X}`$ we have a specialization homomorphisms $`s_v:A_vA_\eta `$ from the stalk $`A_v`$ of $`A`$ in $`v`$ to that in $`\eta `$. For each point $`vX_{𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙}`$ we consider the local cohomology $`H_v^i(\overline{X},A)`$ with support in $`v`$. There is a long exact localization sequence (see )

$$\mathrm{}\underset{vX_{𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙}}{}H_v^i(\overline{X},A)H_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}}^i(\overline{X},A)H_{𝑒𝑡}^i(X,A)\mathrm{}$$

and the local cohomology with support in real points is calculated as follows:

###### Lemma 5.1

For $`vX_{𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙}`$ the following holds.

$$\begin{array}{cccc}H_v^0(\overline{X},A)& =& ker(s_v:A_vA_\eta )\hfill & \\ H_v^1(\overline{X},A)& =& coker(s_v:A_vA_\eta )\hfill & \\ H_v^i(\overline{X},A)& =& H^{i1}(k_v,A_v)\hfill & \text{ for }i2.\hfill \end{array}$$

Here the right hand side of the last isomorphism is the Galois cohomology of the field $`k_v`$.

Proof See , Lemma 2.3.  $`\mathrm{}`$

Remark: Suppose that $`S`$ contains all primes dividing $`2`$ and no real primes. Let $`A`$ be a locally constant constructible sheaf on $`Spec(𝒪_{k,S})_{𝑒𝑡}`$ which is annihilated by a power of $`2`$. We denote the push-forward of $`A`$ to $`Spec(𝒪_{k,S})_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}}`$ by the same letter. By Poitou-Tate duality, the boundary map of the long exact localization sequence

$$H_{𝑒𝑡}^i(X,A)\underset{vX_{𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙}}{}H_v^{i+1}(\overline{X},A)=\underset{v\text{ arch.}}{}H^i(k_v,A_v)$$

is an isomorphisms for $`i3`$ and surjective for $`i=2`$. Therefore, we obtain the vanishing of $`H_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}}^i(Spec(𝒪_{k,S}),A)`$ for $`i3`$. In this situation the modified étale cohomology is connected to the “positive étale cohomology” $`H_2^{}(Spec(𝒪_{k,S}),A_+)`$ defined in  in the following way. There exists a natural exact sequence

$`0H_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}}^0(Spec(𝒪_{k,S}),A)`$

$$\underset{v\text{arch.}}{}H^0(k_v,A_v)H_2^0(Spec(𝒪_{k,S}),A_+)H_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}}^1(Spec(𝒪_{k,S}),A)0.$$

and isomorphisms

$$H_2^i(Spec(𝒪_{k,S}),A_+)\stackrel{}{}H_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}}^{i+1}(Spec(𝒪_{k,S}),A)$$

for $`i1`$. This can be easily deduced from the long exact localization sequence, lemma 5.1 and the long exact sequence (2.4) of .

Now let $`A`$ be a discrete $`G_S(k)`$-module. The module $`A`$ induces locally constant sheaves on $`Spec(𝒪_{k,S})_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}}`$ and $`Spec(𝒪_{k,S})_{𝑒𝑡}`$, which we will denote by the same letter. According to lemma 5.1, we obtain for every $`vX_{𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙}`$

$$H_v^i(\overline{X},A)=0\text{ for }i=0,1.$$

Let $`\stackrel{~}{X}=(Spec(𝒪_{k_S,S}),S_{}(k_S)S(k_S)`$ be the universal covering of $`\overline{X}`$. The Hochschild-Serre spectral sequence

$$E_2^{ij}=H^i(G_S(k),H_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}}^j(\stackrel{~}{X},A))H_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}}^{i+j}(\overline{X},A)$$

induces natural comparison homomorphisms

$$H^i(G_S(k),A)H_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}}^i(\overline{X},A)$$

for all $`i0`$. It follows immediately from the spectral sequence that these homomorphisms are isomorphisms if

$$H_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}}^j(\stackrel{~}{X},A)=0$$

for all $`j1`$.

Next we are going to prove theorem 6 of the introduction. Assume that $`S`$ contains all primes dividing $`2`$ and that $`A`$ is $`2`$-torsion. Both sides of the comparison homomorphism commute with direct limits, and so, in order to prove theorem 6, we may suppose that $`A`$ is finite. Since $`A`$ is constant on $`\stackrel{~}{X}`$, we can easily reduce to the case $`A=/2`$, in order to show $`H_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}}^j(\stackrel{~}{X},A)=0`$ for $`j1`$. Furthermore, the assertion is trivial for $`j=1`$. The theorem is well-known if $`S`$ contains all real primes (see , prop. 3.3.1 or , II, 2.9) and so, passing to the limit over all finite subextensions of $`k`$ in $`k_S`$, we obtain natural isomorphisms for all $`j0`$.

$$H^j(G_{SS_{}}(k_S),/2)\stackrel{}{}H_{𝑒𝑡}^j(\stackrel{~}{X}S_{}(k_S),/2).$$

On the other hand, theorem 2 for $`T=SS_{}`$, $`S=S`$ applied to all finite subextensions of $`k`$ in $`k_S`$ in conjunction with theorem 5 induces isomorphisms for all $`j1`$.

$$H^j(G_{SS_{}}(k_S),/2)\stackrel{}{}\underset{vS_{}S(k_S)}{\overset{}{}}H^j(k_v,/2).$$

These two isomorphisms together with the long exact localization sequence show that

$$H_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}}^j(\stackrel{~}{X},/2)=0$$

for $`j1`$. This completes the proof of theorem 6.

Theorem 6 is best understood in the context of étale homotopy, namely as a vanishing statement on the $`2`$-parts of higher homotopy groups. For a scheme $`X`$ we denote by $`X_{et}`$ its étale homotopy type, i.e. a pro-simplicial set. The étale homotopy groups of $`X`$ are by definition the homotopy groups of $`X_{et}`$ and, as is well known, these pro-groups are pro-finite, whenever the scheme $`X`$ is noetherian, connected and geometrically unibranch ( Theorem 11.1). If we consider the modified étale site $`Spec(𝒪_{k,S})_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}}`$ as above, we obtain in exactly the same manner as for the usual étale site a pro-finite simplicial set $`\overline{X}_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}}`$. We denote the universal covering of $`\overline{X}_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}}`$ by $`\stackrel{~}{X}_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}}`$. If $`p`$ is a prime number and $`Y_{}`$ is a pro-simplicial set, we denote the pro-$`p`$ completion of $`Y_{}`$ by $`Y_{}^p`$. Furthermore, we write $`G(p)`$ for the maximal pro-$`p`$ factor group of a pro-group $`G`$.

###### Lemma 5.2

Assume that $`Y_{}`$ is a simply connected (i.e. $`\pi _1(Y_{})=0`$) pro-simplicial set such that $`\pi _i(Y_{})`$ is pro-finite for all $`i2`$. Then we have isomorphisms for all $`i`$:

$$\pi _i(Y_{})(p)\stackrel{}{}\pi _i(Y_{}^p).$$

Proof: See , prop. 13.  $`\mathrm{}`$

For a pro-group $`G`$ we denote by $`K(G,1)`$ the Eilenberg-MacLane pro-simplicial set associated with $`G`$ (cf. , (2.6)). If $`S`$ contains all real primes of $`k`$ the following theorem was proved in , prop. 14.

###### Theorem 5.3

Let $`k`$ be a number field and $`S`$ a finite set of primes of $`k`$ containing all primes dividing $`2`$. Let $`\overline{X}`$ be the pair $`(X,X_{𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙})`$ with $`X=Spec(𝒪_{k,S})`$ and $`X_{𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙}=S_{}(k)S`$ endowed with the modified étale topology. Then the higher homotopy groups of $`\overline{X}_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}}`$ have no $`2`$-part, i.e.

$$\pi _i(\overline{X}_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}})(2)=0\text{ for }i2.$$

Furthermore, the canonical morphism

$$(\overline{X}_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}})^2\stackrel{}{}K(G_S(k)(2),1)$$

is a weak homotopy equivalence.

Proof: Since $`G_S(k)`$ is the fundamental group of $`\overline{X}_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}}`$, theorem 6 implies that the universal covering $`\stackrel{~}{X}_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}}`$ of $`\overline{X}_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}}`$ has no cohomology with values in $`2`$-primary coefficient groups. By the Hurewicz theorem (, (4.5)), the pro-$`2`$ completion of $`\stackrel{~}{X}_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}}`$ is weakly contractible. Therefore lemma 5.2 implies

$$\pi _i(\overline{X}_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}})(2)\pi _i(\stackrel{~}{X}_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}})(2)\pi _i\left((\stackrel{~}{X}_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}})^2\right)=0$$

for $`i2`$, which shows the first statement of the theorem. By theorem 5, for every finite $`2`$-primary $`G_S(k)(2)`$-torsion module $`A`$ the inflation homomorphism $`H^i(G_S(k)(2),A)\stackrel{}{}H^i(G_S(k),A)`$ is an isomorphism for all $`i`$. The same arguments as above show that the universal covering of $`(\overline{X}_{𝑒𝑡,\text{mod}})^2`$ is weakly contractible. This proves the second statement.  $`\mathrm{}`$

## 6 Closing Remarks

1. Dualizing modules

Unfortunately, we do not have (despite semi-tautological reformulations of the definition) a good description of the $`p`$-dualizing module $`I`$ of the group $`G_S`$, where $`S`$ is a finite set of finite primes containing $`S_p`$. If $`k`$ is totally imaginary, then $`I`$ is determined by the exact sequence

$$0\mu _p^{\mathrm{}}\stackrel{\text{diag}}{}\underset{𝔭S(k_S)}{\overset{}{}}\mu _p^{\mathrm{}}I0$$

(see , (10.2.1)) and the group $`G_S`$ is a duality group at $`p`$ of dimension $`2`$ (see , th.4 or , (10.9.1)). The general case remains unsolved (also for odd $`p`$).

2. Free profinite product decompositions

In this paper we used free pro-$`p`$-product decompositions of Galois groups of pro-$`p`$-extensions of global fields into Galois groups of local pro-$`p`$-extensions in an essential way. One might ask whether, for sets of places $`TS`$, the natural homomorphism

$$\varphi :\underset{𝔭TS(k_S)}{\text{}}T(\overline{k}_𝔭|k)G(k_T|k_S)$$

is an isomorphism, where the free product on the left hand side is the free product of profinite groups. More precisely, one has to ask, whether there exists a continuous section to the natural projection $`TS(k_T)TS(k_S)`$ such that the above map is an isomorphism (cf. the discussion in section 2). We do not know the answers to this question in general. It is ‘yes’ if $`S`$ contains all but finitely many primes of $`k`$ (see below). But it seems likely that $`\varphi `$ is never an isomorphism if $`T`$ and $`S`$ are finite. The present level of knowledge on this question is rather low. For example, we do not know whether there are infinitely many prime numbers $`p`$ such that $`p^{\mathrm{}}`$ divides the order of $`G_T`$. The best result known in this direction is that if $`T`$ contains all real places and all primes dividing one prime number $`p`$, then there exist infinitely many prime numbers $`\mathrm{}`$ dividing the order of $`G_T`$ (see , cor.3 or , (10.9.4)).

In the case that $`S`$ contains all but finitely many primes of $`k`$, we can deduce the above statement by applying the following slightly more general result to the complement of $`S`$:

For a finite set $`S`$ of primes of $`k`$, let $`k^S`$ be the maximal extension of $`k`$ in which all primes in $`S`$ are totally decomposed. Then there exists a continuous section to the natural projection $`S(\overline{k})S(k^S)`$ such that the natural map

$$\underset{𝔭S(k^S)}{\text{}}G(\overline{k}_𝔭|k)G(\overline{k}|k^S)$$

is an isomorphism. This had been proved first in the special case $`S=S_{}`$ by Fried-Haran-Völklein  and then by Pop  for arbitrary finite $`S`$.

3. Leopoldt’s conjecture

The Leopoldt conjecture for $`k`$ and a prime number $`p`$ holds if and only if the group

$$H^2(G_S,_p/_p)$$

is trivial for one (all) finite set(s) of primes $`SS_p`$. The weak Leopoldt conjecture is true for $`k`$, $`p`$ and a $`_p`$-extension $`k_{\mathrm{}}|k`$ if and only if

$$H^2(G_S(k_{\mathrm{}}),_p/_p)$$

is trivial for one (all) finite set(s) of primes $`SS_p`$ (of $`k`$). This is well known for odd $`p`$ and for $`p=2`$ it can be easily deduced from the above results.

4. Iwasawa theory

Let $`k`$ be a number field, $`SS_2`$ a finite set of primes of $`k`$ and $`k_{\mathrm{}}|k`$ the cyclotomic $`_2`$-extension of $`k`$. Let $`\mathrm{\Gamma }=G(k_{\mathrm{}}|k)_2`$ and let $`\mathrm{\Lambda }=_2[[\mathrm{\Gamma }]]_2[[T]]`$ be the Iwasawa algebra. We consider the compact $`\mathrm{\Lambda }`$-module

$$X_S=G(k_S(2)|k_{\mathrm{}})^{ab}.$$

Then the following holds

(i)$`X_S`$ is a finitely generated $`\mathrm{\Lambda }`$-module.

(ii)$`rank_\mathrm{\Lambda }X_S=r_2`$ (the number of complex places of $`k`$).

(iii)$`X_S`$ does not contain any nontrivial finite $`\mathrm{\Lambda }`$-submodule.

(iv)the $`\mu `$-invariant of $`X_S`$ is greater than or equal to $`\mathrm{\#}SS_{}(k)`$.

Properties (i)-(iii) follow in a purely formal way (see , (5.6.15)) from the facts that: (a) $`\chi _2(G_S(2))=r_2`$, (b) $`H^2(G_S(k_{\mathrm{}})(2),_2/_2)=0`$ and (c) $`H^2(G_S(2),_2/_2)`$ is $`2`$-divisible. Assertion (iv) is trivial if $`S`$ contains no real places and in the general case it follows from the exact sequence

$$0(\mathrm{\Lambda }/2)^{\mathrm{\#}SS_{}(k)}X_SX_{SS_{}}0.$$

Now let $`k^+`$ be a totally real number field, $`k=k^+(\mu _4)`$, $`k_{\mathrm{}}^+`$ the cyclotomic $`_2`$-extension of $`k^+`$ and $`k_{\mathrm{}}=k_{\mathrm{}}^+(\mu _4)=k(\mu _2^{\mathrm{}})`$. Let $`k_n`$ be the unique subextension of degree $`2^n`$ in $`k_{\mathrm{}}`$ and let $`J`$ be the complex conjugation. We set $`A_n=Cl(k_n)(2)`$ and

$$A_n^{}:=\{aA_n|aJ(a)=1\}.$$

Furthermore, let $`A_{\mathrm{}}^{}=\underset{}{lim}A_n^{}`$, $`X^+=X_{S_2}(k^+)`$, let $``$ denote the Pontryagin dual and $`(1)`$ the Tate-twist by $`1`$. Then there exists a natural homomorphism

$$\varphi :(A_{\mathrm{}}^{})^{}X^+(1)$$

whose kernel and cokernel are annihilated by $`2`$. If the Iwasawa $`\mu `$-invariant of $`k`$ is zero (this is known if $`k|`$ is abelian), then $`\varphi `$ is a pseudo-isomorphism, i.e. $`\varphi `$ has finite kernel and cokernel. This can be seen by a slight modification of the arguments given in , §2:

Let $`M^+`$ be the maximal abelian $`2`$-extension of $`k_{\mathrm{}}^+`$ which is unramified outside $`S_2`$, in particular, $`M^+`$ is totally real. Kummer theory shows that, for an $`\alpha k_{\mathrm{}}^\times `$, the field $`k_{\mathrm{}}(\sqrt[2^n]{\alpha })`$ is contained in $`M^+k_{\mathrm{}}`$ if and only if: (a) $`\alpha k_{\mathrm{},𝔭}^{\times 2^n}`$ for all $`𝔭S(k_{\mathrm{}})`$ and (b) $`\alpha J(\alpha )=\beta ^{2^n}`$ for a totally positive element $`\beta k_{\mathrm{}}^+`$. Let $`R_n`$ be the subgroup in $`k_{\mathrm{}}^\times /k_{\mathrm{}}^{\times 2^n}`$ generated by elements satisfying (a) and (b) and let

$$𝔐^{}:=\underset{}{lim}_nR_nk_{\mathrm{}}^\times _2/_2.$$

Then we have a perfect Kummer pairing $`X^+\times 𝔐^{}\mu _2^{\mathrm{}}`$. Since all primes dividing $`2`$ are infinitely ramified in $`k_{\mathrm{}}|k`$, for $`\alpha 2^n𝔐^{}`$ there exists a unique ideal $`𝔞`$ in $`k_{\mathrm{}}`$ with $`𝔞^{2^n}=(\alpha )`$ and the class $`[𝔞]`$ is contained in $`A_{\mathrm{}}^{}`$. This yields a homomorphism

$$\varphi ^{}:𝔐^{}A_{\mathrm{}}^{}.$$

A straightforward computation shows that $`im(\varphi ^{})(A_{\mathrm{}}^{})^2`$ and that $`ker(\varphi ^{})`$ is the image of $`𝒪_{k_{\mathrm{}}^+,\mathrm{}}^\times /𝒪_{k_{\mathrm{}}^+,S_{}}^{\times 2}`$ in $`𝔐^{}`$ (notational conventions as in §4). Thus, if the Iwasawa $`\mu `$-invariant of $`k`$ is zero, then the cokernel of $`\varphi ^{}`$ is finite and it remains to show the same for its kernel. Since $`\mu =0`$, the $`𝔽_2`$-ranks of $`{}_{2}{}^{}Cl_{}^{0}(k_n^+)`$ (the subgroup of elements annihilated by $`2`$ in the ideal class groups in the narrow sense) are bounded independently of $`n`$. Thus also the $`𝔽_2`$-ranks of the kernels of the signature maps

$$𝒪_{k_n^+,S_{}}^\times /𝒪_{k_n^+,S_{}}^{\times 2}\underset{vS_{}(k_n^+)}{}^\times /^{\times 2}$$

are bounded independently of $`n`$. But the direct limit over $`n`$ of these kernels is just the group in question. Finally, we obtain the result by taking Pontryagin duals.

Alexander Schmidt Mathematisches Institut, Universität Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 288, 69120 Heidelberg, Deutschland
e-mail: schmidt@mathi.uni-heidelberg.de