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[parent] root-discriminant (Definition)
Definition 1   Let $ K$ be a number field, let $ d_K$ be its discriminant and let $ n=[K:\mathbb{Q}]$ be the degree over $ \mathbb{Q}$. The quantity:
$\displaystyle \vert\sqrt[n]{d_K}\vert$
is called the root-discriminant of $ K$ and it is usually denoted by $ \operatorname{rd}_K$.

The following lemma is one of the motivations for the previous definition:

Lemma 1   Let $ E/F$ be an extension of number fields which is unramified at all finite primes. Then $ \operatorname{rd}_E=\operatorname{rd}_F$. In particular, the Hilbert class field of a number field has the same root-discriminant as the number field.
Proof. Notice that the relative discriminant ideal (or different) for $ E/F$ is the ring of integers in $ F$. Therefore we have:
$\displaystyle \vert d_E\vert=\vert d_F\vert^{[E:F]}$
The results follows by taking $ [E:\mathbb{Q}]$-th roots on both sides of the previous equation. $ \qedsymbol$



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See Also: existence of Hilbert class field

Other names:  root discriminant
Keywords:  discriminant, root discriminant

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Cross-references: equation, sides, roots, ring of integers, discriminant ideal, Hilbert class field, finite primes, unramified, extension, degree, discriminant, number field
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This is version 2 of root-discriminant, born on 2005-02-24, modified 2005-02-24.
Object id is 6824, canonical name is RootDiscriminant.
Accessed 2063 times total.

Classification:
AMS MSC11R29 (Number theory :: Algebraic number theory: global fields :: Class numbers, class groups, discriminants)

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