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I'm working on this problem in Hungerford: For $\sigma \in Aut_F \bar{F}$, show that every finite extension of $K$, the fixed field of $\sigma$, is cyclic.

For a finite extension $L$ of $K$, let $M$ be a Galois closure of $L$ then I can show that $M/K$ is cyclic so $L/K$ is cyclic.. but there is one problem; is $M/K$ is finite? When $F$ has characteristic zero, $L$ is separable over $K$ so simple by primitive element theorem and so $M$ is finite. However, if $F$ has nonzero characteristic, this proof is not applicable. How can I show that $M/K$ is finite?

  • I noticed that the Galois closure is defined on separable extensions only. However, unless $K$ is perfect, $L$ may not be separable. So I think $char(F)=0$ is a necessary condition for this problem.. Am I right?
  • – Therefore.. Nov 22 '14 at 12:30
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    What does it mean for a field to be cyclic? That it's Galois, with Galois group cyclic? – Alex Youcis Nov 22 '14 at 12:47
  • $L/K$ is cyclic if $Aut_K L$ is cyclic. – Therefore.. Nov 22 '14 at 14:24
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    According to your definition cyclic extensions are allowed to be inseparable. Thus you should not work with the Galois closure but with the normal closure. The normal closure of a finite extension $K|F$ is finite, since it is the splitting field of the minimal polynomials of a set of generators of $K|F$, and there are finite sets of generators. – Hagen Knaf Nov 23 '14 at 03:50
  • @Hagen But I used Galois correspondence in my solution.. Is there any way to modify the solution with the normal closure? – Therefore.. Nov 23 '14 at 07:12
  • Yes, just work over the fixed field $M^\sigma$ of $\sigma$ in the normal closure $M|F$ of $K|F$. The extension $M|M^\sigma$ is Galois, and if you can prove that it is cyclic, then $\mathrm{Aut}_F(K)$ is cyclic, because the purely inseparable part $M^\sigma|F$ does not change the automoorphism group. – Hagen Knaf Nov 23 '14 at 09:25
  • I'll try again. Thanks! – Therefore.. Nov 23 '14 at 12:14
  • See here : http://math.stackexchange.com/questions/152984/galois-groups-of-finite-extensions-of-fixed-fields – Fardad Pouran Nov 23 '14 at 12:31