arXiv · 1806.08425
Essential dimension of inseparable field extensions
Abstract
Let k be a base field, K be a field containing k and L/K be a field extension of degree n. The essential dimension ed(L/K) over k is a numerical invariant measuring "the complexity" of L/K. Of particular interest is $τ$(n) = max { ed(L/K) | L/K is a separable extension of degree n}, also known as the essential dimension of the symmetric group $S_n$. The exact value of $τ$(n) is known only for n $\leq$ 7. In this paper we assume that k is a field of characteristic p > 0 and study the essential dimension of inseparable extensions L/K. Here the degree n = [L:K] is replaced by a pair (n, e) which accounts for the size of the separable and the purely inseparable parts of L/K respectively, and τ(n) is replaced by $τ$(n, e) = max { ed(L/K) | L/K is a field extension of type (n, e)}. The symmetric group $S_n$ is replaced by a certain group scheme $G_{n,e}$ over k. This group is neither finite nor smooth; nevertheless, computing its essential dimension turns out to be easier than computing the essential dimension of $S_n$. Our main result is a simple formula for τ(n, e).
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Zinovy Reichstein, Abhishek Kumar Shukla. 2018-06-21. Essential dimension of inseparable field extensions. https://doi.org/10.2140/ant.2019.13.513
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