Chebotarev’s theorem on cyclotomic extensions.

algebraic-number-theoryclass-field-theorycyclotomic-fieldsgalois-theory

Let $K=\mathbb{Q}$ and $L=\mathbb{Q(\zeta_n)}$, where $\zeta_n$ is the $n$-th primitive power of unity.

If $C$ is a conjugacy class of $G=\text{Gal}(L/K)$, Chebotarev's density theorem says that the density of
$$\{\mathfrak{p}: \mathfrak{p} \text{ is a prime of } \mathcal{O}_K,\: \mathfrak{p}\nmid\Delta_{L/K},\: \text{Frob}_\mathfrak{p}\in C \}$$
is $\frac{\#C}{\#G}$.

I have found a couple of papers and books which tackle the problem in this specific case of $L$ and $K$, i.e. a cyclotomic extension. But they all look at the primes which don't divide $n$ to show that the density of primes $p$ such that $p\equiv a\pmod m$ is $\frac{1}{\varphi(m)}$ . Looking at the discriminant formula for a cyclotomic extension
$$\Delta_{\mathbb{Q(\zeta_n)}}=(-1)^{\varphi(n)/2}\frac{n^{\varphi(n)}}{\prod\limits_{p\mid n} p^{\varphi(n)/(p-1)}},$$
I agree that for all odd primes $p$ we have that $p\mid n\iff p\mid\Delta_{\mathbb{Q(\zeta_n)}}$. But in the case of $p=2\mid n$ and $4\nmid n$, then $2\nmid \Delta_{\mathbb{Q(\zeta_n)}}$, it is no longer equivalent.

Why can we do this then? Let's say $n=6$, what is $\text{Frob}_2$?

Best Answer

To answer your question (following the comments), there are isomorphisms:

$$\mathrm{Gal}(\mathbb{Q}(\zeta_{2m})/\mathbb{Q}) = (\mathbb{Z}/2m \mathbb{Z})^{\times},$$

$$\mathrm{Gal}(\mathbb{Q}(\zeta_{m})/\mathbb{Q}) = (\mathbb{Z}/m \mathbb{Z})^{\times},$$

If if $n = 2m$, and $2 | n$ and $4 \nmid n$ (so $m$ is odd), then the corresponding vertical maps are isomorphisms. Certainly $\mathrm{Frob}_2 = [2] \in (\mathbb{Z}/m \mathbb{Z})^{\times}$. Thus your question becomes the following:

Under the natural surjection (and isomorphism):

$$(\mathbb{Z}/2m \mathbb{Z})^{\times} \rightarrow (\mathbb{Z}/m \mathbb{Z})^{\times},$$

what is the pre-image of $[2]$? The answer is $[m+2]$.

Conclusion: If $n = 2m$ for $m$ odd, then

$$\mathrm{Frob}_2 = [m+2] \in (\mathbb{Z}/2m \mathbb{Z})^{\times} = \mathrm{Gal}(\mathbb{Q}(\zeta_{2m})/\mathbb{Q}).$$