$\mathbb{R}$ is not isomorphic to a proper subfield of itself

abstract-algebrafield-theory

let $\mathbb{R}$ be the field of real numbers. I found stated in this pretty work On Groups that Are Isomorphic to a Proper Subgroup, that there is no proper subfield $K$ of $\mathbb{R}$ which is isomorphic to $\mathbb{R}$ itself.
Does someone have a proof of this fact?

Thank you very much for your help in advance.

NOTE1. Contrast this situation with the case of the field $\mathbb{C}$ of complex numbers, for which there exist proper subfields isomorphic to $\mathbb{C}$ itself: see e.g. Automorphisms of the Complex Numbers, Concluding Remark 2.

NOTE2. This issue arouse in my post Proper Subgroup of O_2(R) Isomorphic to O_2(R) about whether the orthogonal group $O_2(\mathbb{R})$ is co-Hopfian or not.

Best Answer

Let $K$ be a subfield of $\Bbb R$ which is isomorphic to $\Bbb R$. Then $K$ has a canonical ordering: $x\ge y$ iff $x=y+t^2$ for some $t\in K$. As $K$ is order-isomorphic to $\Bbb R$, then $K$ is a complete ordered field, where we take the completeness axiom as "a nonempty bounded-above subset has a supremum".

The embedding of $K$ in $\Bbb R$ must be order preserving. Suppose $\xi\in\Bbb R$. The set $S=\{a\in \Bbb Q: a<\xi\}$ has a supremum in $K$ and in $\Bbb R$, but these must be the same, namely $\xi$. So $\xi\in K$ for all $\xi\in\Bbb R$.