I am calculating the class group of $\mathbb Q(\sqrt 6)$. My working is as follows:
The Minkowski bound is $\lambda(6)=\sqrt 6<3$ so we only need to look at prime ideals of norm $2$. $2$ divides the discriminant, $24$, of $\mathbb Q(\sqrt 6)$, so $2$ ramifies, and so for any prime ideal $\mathfrak p$ of norm $2$, $\mathfrak p^2$ is principal. But $(2, \sqrt 6)^2=(2)$, so $\mathfrak p=(2, \sqrt 6)$ has norm $2$. If I can show $\mathfrak p$ is not principal, then I can conclude that $Cl(\mathbb Q(\sqrt 6))\cong C_2.$ But if there was an element of $\mathcal O_{\mathbb Q(\sqrt 6)}$ of norm 2, this would correspond to a solution of the diophantine equation $x^2-6y^2=2$. Clearly $x$ is even, so writing $x=2n$ we get $2n^2-3y^2=1$. Now reducing modulo $3$, we get $2n^2\equiv 1 \pmod 3$ which has no soultions. Hence $\mathfrak p$ is not principal and $Cl (\mathbb Q(\sqrt 6)) \cong C_2.$
However, this link says that the class group is trivial. Where have I gone wrong? What am I misunderstanding? Is $(2, \sqrt 6)$ principal?
Best Answer
There are indeed no elements of norm $2$, but there are elements of norm $-2$.