Polynomials with Surjective Arboreal Galois Representations Exist in Every Degree

Abstract

Let~$E$ be a Hilbertian field of characteristic~$0$. R.W.K. Odoni conjectured that for every positive integer~$n$ there exists a polynomial~$f\in E[X]$ of degree~$n$ such that each iterate~$f^{\circ k}$ of~$f$ is irreducible and the Galois group of the splitting field of~$f^{\circ k}$ is isomorphic to the automorphism group of a regular,~$n$-branching tree of height~$k.$ We prove this conjecture when~$E$ is a number field.