Monogenic fields with odd class number Part II: even degree

Abstract

In 1801, Gauss proved that there were infinitely many quadratic fields with odd class number. We generalise this result by showing that there are infinitely many $S_n$-fields of any given even degree and signature that have odd class number. Also, we prove that there are infinitely many fields of any even degree at least $4$ and with at least one real embedding that have units of every signature. To do so, we bound the average number of $2$-torsion elements in the class group, narrow class group, and oriented class group of monogenised fields of even degree (and compute these averages precisely conditional on a tail estimate) using a parametrisation of Wood. These averages are the first $p$-torsion averages to be calculated for $p$ not coprime to the degree (in degree at least $3$), shedding light on the question of Cohen-Lenstra-Martinet-Malle type heuristics for class groups and narrow class groups at "bad" primes.

49 pages