Commuting-Liftable Subgroups of Galois Groups II

Let $n$ denote either a positive integer or $\infty$, let $\ell$ be a fixed prime and let $K$ be a field of characteristic different from $\ell$. In the presence of sufficiently many roots of unity in $K$, we show how to recover some of the inertia/decomposition structure of valuations inside the maximal $\ell^n$-abelian Galois group of $K$ using the maximal $\ell^N$-abelian-by-central Galois group of $K$, whenever $N$ is sufficiently large relative to $n$.Comment: 62 pages; final version; NOTE: numbering has changed from previous version

The Galois action on geometric lattices and the mod-ℓ\ell I/OM

This paper studies the Galois action on a special lattice of geometric origin, which is related to mod-$\ell$ abelian-by-central quotients of geometric fundamental groups of varieties. As a consequence, we formulate and prove the mod-$\ell$ abelian-by-central variant/strengthening of a conjecture due to Ihara/Oda-Matsumoto.Comment: Final version. Minor changes/corrections, introduction expanded. Will appear in Inventione

Almost-Commuting-Liftable Subgroups of Galois Groups

Let K be a field and \ell be a prime such that char K \neq \ell. In the presence of sufficiently many roots of unity in K, we show how to recover some of the inertia/decomposition structure of valuations inside the maximal (\Z/\ell)-abelian resp. pro-\ell-abelian Galois group of K using its (Z/\ell)-central resp. pro-\ell-central extensions.Comment: Version 2: updated two references, added a few words to the argument in Theorem 3, fixed a few typos. All results and arguments are the same. 38 page

Four-fold Massey products in Galois cohomology

In this paper, we develop a new necessary and sufficient condition for the vanishing of 4-Massey products of elements in the mod-2 Galois cohomology of a field. This new description allows us to define a splitting variety for 4-Massey products, which is shown in the Appendix to satisfy a local-to-global principle over number fields. As a consequence, we prove that, for a number field, all such 4-Massey products vanish whenever they are defined. This provides new explicit restrictions on the structure of absolute Galois groups of number fields.Comment: Final version: several corrections made throughout the paper; some sections reorganized; will appear in Compositio Mathematic

Abstraction boundaries and spec driven development in pure mathematics

In this article we discuss how abstraction boundaries can help tame complexity in mathematical research, with the help of an interactive theorem prover. While many of the ideas we present here have been used implicitly by mathematicians for some time, we argue that the use of an interactive theorem prover introduces additional qualitative benefits in the implementation of these ideas.Comment: To appear in a special volume of the Bull. Amer. Math. Soc.; 14 pg.; feedback welcome

Galois Module Structure of \Z/\ell^n-th Classes of Fields

In this paper we use the Merkurjev-Suslin theorem to explore the structure of arithmetically significant Galois modules that arise from Kummer theory. Let K be a field of characteristic different from a prime \ell, n a positive integer, and suppose that K contains the (\ell^n)^th roots of unity. Let L be the maximal \Z/\ell^n-elementary abelian extension of K, and set G = \Gal(L|K). We consider the G-module J = L^\times/\ell^n and denote its socle series by J_m. We provide a precise condition, in terms of a map to H^3(G,\Z/\ell^n), determining which submodules of J_{m-1} embed in cyclic modules generated by elements of J_m. This generalizes a theorem of Adem, Gao, Karaguezian, and Minac which deals with the case m=\ell^n=2. This description of J_m/J_{m-1} can be viewed as an analogue of the classical Hilbert's Theorem 90 and it is helpful for understanding the G-module J.Comment: Final version: to appear in Bull. of the London Math So