The different and differentials of local fields with imperfect residue fields

Abstract

Let K be a complete field with respect to a discrete valuation and let L be a finite Galois extension of K. If the residue field extension is separable then the different of L/K can be expressed in terms of the ramification groups by a well-known formula of Hilbert. We will identify the necessary correction term in the general case, and we give inequalities for ramification groups of subextensions L′/K in terms of those of L/K. A question of Krasner in this context is settled with a counterexample. These ramification phenomena can be related to the structure of the module of differentials of the extension of valuation rings. For the case that [L: K] = p2, where p is the residue characteristic, this module is shown to determine the correction term in Hilbert's formula.