arXiv subjects

Danny Neftin

Publications and source records attributed to Danny Neftin.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Hilbert irreducibility for algebraic points

We study the following problem: given a covering of curves $\phi\colon X \to X_0$ over a number field $k$, and an integer $d$, when is the set \[\{p \in X_0(\overline{k})|\ \mathrm{deg}\ p = d, \text{ and the fiber } \phi^{-1}(p) \text{ is reducible over } k(p)\}\] finite? In case $X$ itself admits infinitely many degree $d$ points, we consider the modified problem where the images of degree $d$ points on $X$ are removed from the set. We prove a number of theorems ensuring a positive answer. As a consequence we show that for a fixed curve $X$ and all sufficiently high-degree indecomposable rational functions $\phi:X \to \mathbb{P}^1$ with $b$ branch points, the set of reducible fibers above degree $d<b/7-2$ points, not containing a degree $d$ point from $X$, is finite.

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arXiv2026

Monodromy groups of polynomials of composition length 2

We study the monodromy groups of compositions of two indecomposable polynomials. In particular, we show that such monodromy groups either fulfill a certain ``largeness" property, or belong to an explicit list of exceptions. Such largeness results are crucial for dealing with compositions of more than two polynomials, and consequently are expected to have a wide range of applications to problems concerning the arithmetic of polynomials and arithmetic dynamics. In particular, our main result is a key ingredient in the solution of a long-standing open problem due to Davenport, Lewis and Schinzel, achieved in a companion paper.

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arXiv2026

The Davenport-Lewis-Schinzel problem on the reducibility of $f(X)-g(Y)$

We solve the problem of Davenport--Lewis--Schinzel (DLS), originating in the 1950s, regarding the reducibility of $f(X)-g(Y)\in\mathbb C[X,Y]$. This yields an almost-complete solution to the Hilbert--Siegel problem: For a polynomial map $f$ whose composition factors avoid only very specific low-degree polynomials, we explicitly describe over which integers the fibers of $f$ are reducible. We further apply the solution to stability of iterates of $f$ in arithmetic dynamics, and to solving the functional equation $f(X)=g(Y)$ in $X,Y\in\mathbb{C}(z)$.

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arXiv2025

On rational connectedness and parametrization of finite Galois extensions

Given two $G$-Galois extensions of $\mathbb Q$, is there an extension of $\mathbb Q(t)$ that specializes to both? The equivalence relation on $G$-Galois extension of $\mathbb Q$, induced by the above question, is called $R$-equivalence. The number of $R$-equivlance classes indicates how many rational spaces are required in order to parametrize all $G$-Galois extensions of $\mathbb Q$. We determine the $R$-equivalence classes for basic families of groups $G$, and consequently obtain parametrizations of the $G$-Galois extensions of $\mathbb Q$ in the absence of a generic extension for $G$.

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arXiv2025

Low-genus primitive monodromy groups with a nonunique minimal normal subgroup

Let $X$ be a Riemann surface, and let $f:X\to\mathbb{P}^1_\mathbb{C}$ be an indecomposable (branched) covering of genus $g$ and degree $n$ whose monodromy group has more than one minimal normal subgroup. Closing a gap in the literature, we show that there is only one such covering when $g\leq 1$. Moreover, for arbitrary $g$, there are no such coverings with $n\gg_g 0$ sufficiently large.

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arXiv2024

The Grunwald problem and homogeneous spaces with non-solvable stabilisers

We give an affirmative answer to the Grunwald problem for new families of non-solvable finite groups G, away from the set of primes dividing |G|. Furthermore, we show that such G verify the condition (BM), that is, the Brauer-Manin obstruction to weak approximation is the only one for quotients of SL_n by G. These new families include extensions of groups satisfying (BM) by kernels which are products of symmetric groups S_m, with $m\neq 2,6$, and alternating groups A_5. We also investigate (BM) for small groups by giving an explicit list of small order groups for which (BM) is unknown and we show that for many of them (BM) holds under Schinzel's hypothesis.

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arXiv2024

Monodromy groups of indecomposable coverings of bounded genus

For each nonnegative integer $g$, we classify the ramification types and monodromy groups of indecomposable coverings of complex curves $f: X\to Y$ where $X$ has genus $g$, under the hypothesis that $n:=\deg(f)$ is sufficiently large and the monodromy group is not $A_n$ or $S_n$. This proves a conjecture of Guralnick and several conjectures of Guralnick and Shareshian.

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arXiv2024

Monodromy groups of product type

The combination of this paper and its companion complete the classification of monodromy groups of indecomposable coverings of complex curves $f:X\rightarrow \mathbb P^1$ of sufficiently large degree in comparison to the genus of $X$. In this paper we determine all such coverings with monodromy group $G\leq S_\ell\wr S_t$ of product type for $t\ge 2$.

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arXiv2024

Polynomial compositions with large monodromy groups and applications to arithmetic dynamics

For a composition $f=f_1\circ\cdots \circ f_r$ of polynomials $f_i\in \mathbb Q[x]$ of degrees $d_i\geq 5$ with alternating or symmetric monodromy group, we show that the monodromy group of $f$ contains the iterated wreath product $A_{d_r}\wr \cdots\wr A_{d_1}$. A similar property holds more generally for polynomials that do not factor through $x^d$ or Chebyshev. We derive consequences to arithmetic dynamics regarding arboreal representations, and forward and backward orbits of such $f$. In particular, given an orbit $(a_n)_{n=0}^\infty$ of $f$ as above, we show that for "almost all" $a\in \mathbb Z$, the set of primes $p$ for which some $a_n$ is congruent to $a$ mod $p$ is "small".

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arXiv2022

Sylow-conjugate number fields

By a classical result of Neukirch and Uchida, a number field K is determined by the structure of its absolute Galois group Gal(K). We show that K is not determined by the structure of the Sylow subgroups of Gal(K), answering a question raised by Florian Pop.

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arXiv2021

The Hilbert-Grunwald specialization property over number fields

Given a finite group $G$ and a number field $K$, we investigate the following question: Does there exist a Galois extension $E/K(t)$ with group $G$ whose set of specializations yields solutions to all Grunwald problems for the group $G$, outside a finite set of primes? Following previous work, such a Galois extension would be said to have the "Hilbert-Grunwald property". In this paper we reach a complete classification of groups $G$ which admit an extension with the Hilbert-Grunwald property over fields such as $K=\mathbb{Q}$. We thereby also complete the determination of the ``local dimension" of finite groups over $\mathbb{Q}$.

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arXiv2021

On parametric and generic polynomials with one parameter

Given fields $k \subseteq L$, our results concern one parameter $L$-parametric polynomials over $k$, and their relation to generic polynomials. The former are polynomials $P(T,Y) \in k[T][Y]$ of group $G$ which parametrize all Galois extensions of $L$ of group $G$ via specialization of $T$ in $L$, and the latter are those which are $L$-parametric for every field $L \supseteq k$. We show, for example, that being $L$-parametric with $L$ taken to be the single field $\mathbb{C}((V))(U)$ is in fact sufficient for a polynomial $P(T, Y) \in \mathbb{C}[T][Y]$ to be generic. As a corollary, we obtain a complete list of one parameter generic polynomials over a given field of characteristic 0, complementing the classical literature on the topic. Our approach also applies to an old problem of Schinzel: subject to the Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer conjecture, we provide one parameter families of affine curves over number fields, all with a rational point, but with no rational generic point.

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arXiv2020

The local dimension of a finite group over a number field

Let $G$ be a finite group and $K$ a number field. We construct a $G$-extension $E/F$, with $F$ of transcendence degree $2$ over $K$, that specializes to all $G$-extensions of $K_\mathfrak{p}$, where $\mathfrak{p}$ runs over all but finitely many primes of $K$. If furthermore $G$ has a generic extension over $K$, we show that the extension $E/F$ has the so-called Hilbert-Grunwald property. These results are compared to the notion of essential dimension of $G$ over $K$, and its arithmetic analogue.

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arXiv2020

Symmetric Galois Groups Under Specialization

Given an irreducible bivariate polynomial $f(t,x)\in \mathbb{Q}[t,x]$, what groups $H$ appear as the Galois group of $f(t_0,x)$ for infinitely many $t_0\in \mathbb{Q}$? How often does a group $H$ as above appear as the Galois group of $f(t_0,x)$, $t_0\in \mathbb{Q}$? We give an answer for $f$ of large $x$-degree with alternating or symmetric Galois group over $\mathbb{Q}(t)$. This is done by determining the low genus subcovers of coverings $\tilde{X}\rightarrow \mathbb{P}^1_{\mathbb{C}}$ with alternating or symmetric monodromy groups.

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arXiv2020

Reducible Fibers of Polynomial Maps

For a degree $n$ polynomial $f$ over the rationals, the elements in the fiber $f^{-1}(a)$ are of degree $n$ over $\mathbb Q$ for most rational values $a$ by Hilbert's irreducibility theorem. Determining the set of exceptional $a$'s without this property is a long standing open problem that is closely related to the Davenport--Lewis--Schinzel problem (1959) on reducibility of separated polynomials. As opposed to previous work which mostly concerns indecomposable $f$, we answer both problems for decomposable $f=f_1\circ\cdots\circ f_r$, as long as the indecomposable factors $f_i\in\mathbb Q[x]$ are of degree at least $5$ and are not $x^n$ or a Chebyshev polynomial composed with linear polynomials.

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arXiv2019

Unramified extensions over low degree number fields

For various nonsolvable groups $G$, we prove the existence of extensions of the rationals $\mathbb{Q}$ with Galois group $G$ and inertia groups of order dividing $ge(G)$, where $ge(G)$ is the smallest exponent of a generating set for $G$. For these groups $G$, this gives the existence of number fields of degree $ge(G)$ with an unramified $G$-extension. The existence of such extensions over $\mathbb{Q}$ for all finite groups would imply that, for every finite group $G$, there exists a quadratic number field admitting an unramified $G$-extension, as was recently conjectured. We also provide further evidence for the existence of such extensions for all finite groups, by proving their existence when $\mathbb{Q}$ is replaced with a function field $k(t)$ where $k$ is an ample field.

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arXiv2018

Rational pullbacks of Galois covers

The finite subgroups of ${\rm PGL}_2(\mathbb{C})$ are shown to be the only finite groups $G$ with this property: for some integer $r_0$ (depending on $G$), all Galois covers $X\rightarrow \mathbb{P}^1_{\mathbb{C}}$ of group $G$ can be obtained by pulling back those with at most $r_0$ branch points along non-constant rational maps $\mathbb{P}^1_{\mathbb{C}} \rightarrow \mathbb{P}^1_{\mathbb{C}}$. For $G\subset {\rm PGL}_2(\mathbb{C})$, it is in fact enough to pull back one well-chosen cover with at most $3$ branch points. A consequence of the converse for inverse Galois theory is that, for $G\not \subset {\rm PGL}_2({\mathbb{C}})$, letting the branch point number grow provides truly new Galois realizations $F/{\mathbb{C}}(T)$ of $G$. Another application is that the ``Beckmann--Black'' property that ``any two Galois covers of $\mathbb{P}^1_{\mathbb{C}}$ with the same group $G$ are always pullbacks of another Galois cover of group $G$'' only holds if $G\subset {\rm PGL}_2({\mathbb{C}})$.

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arXiv2017

Almost-Regular Dessins on a Sphere and Torus

The Hurwitz problem asks which ramification data are realizable, that is appear as the ramification type of a covering. We use dessins d'enfant to show that families of genus 1 regular ramification data with small changes are realizable with the exception of four families which were recently shown to be nonrealizable. A similar description holds in the case of genus 0 ramification data.

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