Galois Theory, Coverings, and Riemann Surfaces - Hardcover

by Askold Khovanskii (Author), Vladlen Timorin (Translator), Valentina Kiritchenko (Translator)

Chapter 1 Galois Theory: 1.1 Action of a Solvable Group and Representability by Radicals.- 1.2 Fixed Points under an Action of a Finite Group and Its Subgroups.- 1.3 Field Automorphisms and Relations between Elements in a Field.- 1.4 Action of a k-Solvable Group and Representability by k-Radicals.- 1.5 Galois Equations.- 1.6 Automorphisms Connected with a Galois Equation.- 1.7 The Fundamental Theorem of Galois Theory.- 1.8 A Criterion for Solvability of Equations by Radicals.- 1.9 A Criterion for Solvability of Equations by k-Radicals.- 1.10 Unsolvability of Complicated Equations by Solving Simpler Equations.- 1.11 Finite Fields.- Chapter 2 Coverings: 2.1 Coverings over Topological Spaces.- 2.2 Completion of Finite Coverings over Punctured Riemann Surfaces.- Chapter 3 Ramified Coverings and Galois Theory: 3.1 Finite Ramified Coverings and Algebraic Extensions of Fields of Meromorphic Functions.- 3.2 Geometry of Galois Theory for Extensions of a Field of Meromorphic Functions.- References.- Index

Back Jacket

The first part of this book provides an elementary and self-contained exposition of classical Galois theory and its applications to questions of solvability of algebraic equations in explicit form. The second part describes a surprising analogy between the fundamental theorem of Galois theory and the classification of coverings over a topological space. The third part contains a geometric description of finite algebraic extensions of the field of meromorphic functions on a Riemann surface and provides an introduction to the topological Galois theory developed by the author.

All results are presented in the same elementary and self-contained manner as classical Galois theory, making this book both useful and interesting to readers with a variety of backgrounds in mathematics, from advanced undergraduate students to researchers.

Author Biography

Askold Khovanskii is a Professor of Mathematics at the University of Toronto, and a principal researcher at the RAS Institute for Systems Analysis (Moscow, Russia). He is a founder of Topological Galois Theory and the author of fundamental results in this area.