Undergrad Is the Order of an Automorphism in a Field with Characteristic p Equal to p?

Click For Summary
In a field with characteristic p, the order of an automorphism is not necessarily equal to p, as demonstrated with the example of the field extension of \(\mathbb{F}_3\). The automorphism defined as \(\sigma(a+b\mathrm{i})=a-b\mathrm{i}\) has an order of 2, despite the characteristic being 3. The Frobenius homomorphism, which maps \(x\) to \(x^p\), is a specific automorphism that holds for fields of finite characteristic. If the characteristic is 0, the behavior of automorphisms can differ significantly. Thus, the assertion that the order of an automorphism is always p in characteristic p is incorrect.
HDB1
Messages
77
Reaction score
7
Please, I have a question about automorphism:

Let ##\mathbb{K}## be a field, if ##\operatorname{char}(\mathbb{K})=p ##, then the order of automorphism ##\phi## is ##p##, i.e. ##\phi^p=\operatorname{id}##, where ##i d## is identity map.

Is that right? please, if yes, how we can prove it, and what will happen if ##\operatorname{char}(\mathbb{K})=0 ##Thanks in advance, :heart:
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Dear @fresh_42 , if you could help, I would appreciate that, :heart: :heart:
 
HDB1 said:
Please, I have a question about automorphism:

Let ##\mathbb{K}## be a field, if ##\operatorname{char}(\mathbb{K})=p ##, then the order of automorphism ##\phi## is ##p##, i.e. ##\phi^p=\operatorname{id}##, where ##i d## is identity map.

Is that right? please, if yes, how we can prove it, and what will happen if ##\operatorname{char}(\mathbb{K})=0 ##Thanks in advance, :heart:
This is not the case.

Consider ##\mathbb{F}_3=\mathbb{Z}/3\mathbb{Z}=\{\bar 0\, , \,\bar 1\, , \,\bar 2\, , \,\}## and the polynomial ##f(x)=x^2+\bar1 \in \mathbb{F}_3[x].## It has no zeros in ##\mathbb{F}_3## since ##f(\bar 0)=\bar 1 \, , \,f(\bar 1)= \bar 2 \, , \,f(\bar 2)=\bar 2 .## Therefore, it has no factors of degree ##1,## i.e. it is irreducible. If we add a zero ##\mathrm{i}## of ##x^2+1## to ##\mathbb{F}_3,## i.e. we build
$$
\mathbb{K}=\mathbb{F}_3[x]/\langle x^2+1 \rangle \cong \mathbb{F}_3[\mathrm{i}]
$$
then ##\mathbb{F}_3 \subsetneq \mathbb{F}_3[\mathrm{i}]=\mathbb{K}## is a proper field extension and ##\operatorname{char}\mathbb{F}_3=\operatorname{char}\mathbb{K}=3.##

We define ## \sigma (a+b\mathrm{i}):=a-b \mathrm{i}## for all ##a,b \in \mathbb{F}_3.## Then ##\sigma ## is an automorphism of ##\mathbb{K}## and ##\sigma^2=\operatorname{id}_{\mathbb{K}},## i.e. ##\operatorname{ord}(\sigma)=2.##

However, and maybe this is what you meant, there is a certain automorphism for fields of finite characteristic. Say ##\operatorname{char}\mathbb{K}=p.## Then ##x\longmapsto x^p## is the Frobenius homomorphism which is an automorphism of ##\mathbb{K}## and the identity map on the prime field ##\mathbb{F}_p## of ##\mathbb{K}.##
 
Last edited:

Similar threads

  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
900
Replies
4
Views
3K
  • · Replies 26 ·
Replies
26
Views
804
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
829
  • · Replies 31 ·
2
Replies
31
Views
2K
  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
4K
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Replies
8
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K