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Alex Bartel

Publications and source records attributed to Alex Bartel.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2025

A heuristic for ray class groups of quadratic number fields

We formulate a model for the average behaviour of ray class groups of real quadratic fields with respect to a fixed rational modulus, locally at a finite set $S$ of odd primes. To that end, we introduce Arakelov ray class groups of a number field, and postulate that, locally at $S$, the Arakelov ray class groups of real quadratic fields are distributed randomly with respect to a natural Cohen--Lenstra type probability measure. We show that our heuristics imply the Cohen--Lenstra heuristics on class groups of real quadratic fields, as well as equidistribution results on the fundamental unit of a real quadratic field modulo an integer, and are consistent with Varma's results on average of sizes of $3$-torsion subgroups of ray class groups of quardratic fields.

math.NT↗
arXiv2025

Galois module structures and the Hasse principle in twist families via the distribution of Selmer groups

We address several seemingly disparate problems in arithmetic geometry: the statistical behaviour of the Galois module structure of Mordell--Weil groups of a fixed elliptic curve over varying quadratic extensions; the frequency of failure of the Hasse principle in quadratic twist families of genus $1$ hyperelliptic curves; and the Hasse principle for Kummer varieties. The common technical ingredient for all of these is a result on the distribution of $2$-Selmer ranks in certain sparse families of quadratic twists of a given abelian variety.

math.NT↗
arXiv2024

Vign\'eras orbifolds: isospectrality, regulators, and torsion homology

We develop a new approach to the isospectrality of the orbifolds constructed by Vign\'eras. We give fine sufficient criteria for i-isospectrality in given degree i and for representation equivalence. These allow us to produce very small exotic examples of isospectral orbifolds: hyperbolic 3-orbifolds that are i-isospectral for all i but not representation equivalent, hyperbolic 3-orbifolds that are 0-isospectral but not 1-isospectral, and others. Using the same method, we also give sufficient criteria for rationality of regulator quotients Reg_i(Y_1)^2/Reg_i(Y_2)^2 for Vign\'eras orbifolds Y_1, Y_2, sometimes even when they are not isospectral. Moreover, we establish a link between the primes that enter in these regulator quotients and at which torsion homology of Y_1 and Y_2 can differ, and Galois representations.

math.NT↗
arXiv2020

On class groups of random number fields

The main aim of the present paper is to disprove the Cohen--Lenstra--Martinet heuristics in two different ways and to offer possible corrections. We also recast the heuristics in terms of Arakelov class groups, giving an explanation for the probability weights appearing in the general form of the heuristics. We conclude by proposing a rigorously formulated Cohen--Lenstra--Martinet conjecture.

math.NT↗
arXiv2020

Arakelov class groups of random number fields

The main purpose of the paper is to formulate a probabilistic model for Arakelov class groups in families of number fields, offering a correction to the Cohen--Lenstra--Martinet heuristic on ideal class groups. To that end, we show that Chinburg's Omega(3) conjecture implies tight restrictions on the Galois module structure of oriented Arakelov class groups. As a consequence, we construct a new infinite series of counterexamples to the Cohen--Lenstra--Martinet heuristic, which have the novel feature that their Galois groups are non-abelian.

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arXiv2018

Relations between permutation representations in positive characteristic

Given a finite group G and a field F, a G-set X gives rise to an F[G]-permutation module F[X]. This defines a map from the Burnside ring of G to its representation ring over F. It is an old problem in representation theory, with wide-ranging applications in algebra, number theory, and geometry, to give explicit generators of the kernel K_F(G) of this map, i.e. to classify pairs of G-sets X, Y such that F[X] is isomorphic to F[Y]. When F has characteristic 0, a complete description of K_F(G) is now known. In this paper, we give a similar description of K_F(G) when F is a field of characteristic p>0 in all but the most complicated case, which is when G has a subquotient that is a non-p-hypo-elementary (p,p)-Dress group.

math.RT↗
arXiv2018

Group representations in the homology of 3-manifolds

If M is a manifold with an action of a group G, then the homology group H_1(M,Q) is naturally a Q[G]-module, where Q[G] denotes the rational group ring. We prove that for every finite group G, and for every Q[G]-module V, there exists a closed hyperbolic 3-manifold M with a free G-action such that the Q[G]-module H_1(M,Q) is isomorphic to V. We give an application to spectral geometry: for every finite set P of prime numbers, there exist hyperbolic 3-manifolds N and N' that are strongly isospectral such that for all p in P, the p-power torsion subgroups of H_1(N,Z) and of H_1(N',Z) have different orders. We also show that, in a certain precise sense, the rational homology of oriented Riemannian 3-manifolds with a G-action "knows" nothing about the fixed point structure under G, in contrast to the 2-dimensional case. The main geometric techniques are Dehn surgery and, for the spectral application, the Cheeger-Müller formula, but we also make use of tools from different branches of algebra, most notably of regulator constants, a representation theoretic tool that was originally developed in the context of elliptic curves.

math.GT↗
arXiv2017

A note on Green functors with inflation

This note is motivated by the problem to understand, given a commutative ring F, which G-sets X, Y give rise to isomorphic F[G]-representations F[X]\cong F[Y]. A typical step in such investigations is an argument that uses induction theorems to give very general sufficient conditions for all such relations to come from proper subquotients of G. In the present paper we axiomatise the situation, and prove such a result in the generality of Mackey functors and Green functors with inflation. Our result includes, as special cases, a result of Deligne on monomial relations, a result of the first author and Tim Dokchitser on Brauer relations in characteristic 0, and a new result on Brauer relations in characteristic p>0. We will need the new result in a forthcoming paper on Brauer relations in positive characteristic.

math.RA↗
arXiv2016

Commensurability of automorphism groups

We develop a theory of commensurability of groups, of rings, and of modules. It allows us, in certain cases, to compare sizes of automorphism groups of modules, even when those are infinite. This work is motivated by the Cohen-Lenstra heuristics on class groups. The number theoretic implications will be addressed in a separate paper.

math.RA↗
arXiv2016

Torsion homology and regulators of isospectral manifolds

Given a finite group G, a G-covering of closed Riemannian manifolds, and a so-called G-relation, a construction of Sunada produces a pair of manifolds M_1 and M_2 that are strongly isospectral. Such manifolds have the same dimension and the same volume, and their rational homology groups are isomorphic. We investigate the relationship between their integral homology. The Cheeger-Mueller Theorem implies that a certain product of orders of torsion homology and of regulators for M_1 agrees with that for M_2. We exhibit a connection between the torsion in the integral homology of M_1 and M_2 on the one hand, and the G-module structure of integral homology of the covering manifold on the other, by interpreting the quotients Reg_i(M_1)/Reg_i(M_2) representation theoretically. Further, we prove that the p-primary torsion in the homology of M_1 is isomorphic to that of M_2 for all primes p not dividing #G. For p <= 71, we give examples of pairs of isospectral hyperbolic 3-manifolds for which the p-torsion homology differs, and we conjecture such examples to exist for all primes p.

math.DG↗
arXiv2015

Brauer relations in finite groups

If G is a non-cyclic finite group, non-isomorphic G-sets X, Y may give rise to isomorphic permutation representations C[X] and C[Y]. Equivalently, the map from the Burnside ring to the representation ring of G has a kernel. Its elements are called Brauer relations, and the purpose of this paper is to classify them in all finite groups, extending the Tornehave-Bouc classification in the case of p-groups.

math.RT↗
arXiv2015

Rational representations and permutation representations of finite groups

We investigate the question which Q-valued characters and characters of Q-representations of finite groups are Z-linear combinations of permutation characters. This question is known to reduce to that for quasi-elementary groups, and we give a solution in that case. As one of the applications, we exhibit a family of simple groups with rational representations whose smallest multiple that is a permutation representation can be arbitrarily large.

math.RT↗
arXiv2014

Index formulae for integral Galois modules

We prove very general index formulae for integral Galois modules, specifically for units in rings of integers of number fields, for higher K-groups of rings of integers, and for Mordell-Weil groups of elliptic curves over number fields. These formulae link the respective Galois module structure to other arithmetic invariants, such as class numbers, or Tamagawa numbers and Tate-Shafarevich groups. This is a generalisation of known results on units to other Galois modules and to many more Galois groups, and at the same time a unification of the approaches hitherto developed in the case of units.

math.NT↗
arXiv2013

Brauer relations in finite groups II - quasi-elementary groups of order p^aq

This is the second in a series of papers investigating the space of Brauer relations of a finite group, the kernel of the natural map from its Burnside ring to the rational representation ring. The first paper classified all primitive Brauer relations, that is those that do not come from proper subquotients. In the case of quasi-elementary groups the description is intricate, and it does not specify groups that have primitive relations in terms of generators and relations. In this paper we do this for quasi-elementary groups of order p^aq.

math.RT↗
arXiv2013

Elliptic curves with p-Selmer growth for all p

It is known, that for every elliptic curve over Q there exists a quadratic extension in which the rank does not go up. For a large class of elliptic curves, the same is known with the rank replaced by the 2-Selmer group. We show, however, that there exists a large supply of semistable elliptic curves E/Q whose 2-Selmer group goes up in every bi-quadratic extension and for any odd prime p, the p-Selmer group goes up in every D_{2p}-extension and every elementary abelian p-extension of rank at least 2. We provide a simple criterion for an elliptic curve over an arbitrary number field to exhibit this behaviour. We also discuss generalisations to other Galois groups.

math.NT↗
arXiv2013

Factor equivalence of Galois modules and regulator constants

We compare two approaches to the study of Galois module structures: on the one hand factor equivalence, a technique that has been used by Fröhlich and others to investigate the Galois module structure of rings of integers of number fields and of their unit groups, and on the other hand regulator constants, a set of invariants attached to integral group representations by Dokchitser and Dokchitser, and used by the author, among others, to study Galois module structures. We show that the two approaches are in fact closely related, and interpret results arising from these two approaches in terms of each other. We also use this comparison to derive a factorisability result on higher $K$-groups of rings of integers, which is a direct analogue of a theorem of de Smit on $S$-units.

math.NT↗
arXiv2011

On Brauer-Kuroda type relations of S-class numbers in dihedral extensions

Let F/k be a Galois extension of number fields with dihedral Galois group of order 2q, where q is an odd integer. We express a certain quotient of S-class numbers of intermediate fields, arising from Brauer-Kuroda relations, as a unit index. Our formula is valid for arbitrary extensions with Galois group D_{2q} and for arbitrary Galois-stable sets of primes S, containing the Archimedean ones. Our results have curious applications to determining the Galois module structure of the units modulo the roots of unity of a D_{2q}-extension from class numbers and S-class numbers. The techniques we use are mainly representation theoretic and we consider the representation theoretic results we obtain to be of independent interest.

math.NT↗