Ramification of valuations

Abstract

In this paper we develop a very explicit theory of ramification of general valuations in algebraic function fields. In characteristic zero and arbitrary dimension, we obtain the strongest possible generalization of the classical ramification theory of local Dedekind domains. We further develop a ramification theory of algebraic functions fields of dimension two in positive characteristic. We prove that local monomialization and simultaneous resolution hold under very mild assumptions, and give pathological examples.