No Riemann-hurwitz formula for the p-ranks of relative class groups

Abstract

We disprove, by means of numerical examples, the existence of a Riemann-Hurwitz formula for the p-ranks of relative class groups in a p-ramified p-extension K/k of number fields of CM-type containing ?\_p. In the cyclic case of degree p, under some assumptions on the p-class group of k, we prove some properties of the Galois structure of the p-class group of K; but we have found, through numerical experimentation, that some theoretical group structures do not exist in this particular situation, and we justify this fact. Then we show, in this context, that Kida's formula on lambda invariants is valid for the p-ranks if and only if the p-class group of K is reduced to the group of ambiguous classes, which is of course not always the case.Comment: 6 pages + tables num\'erique