Invariants for A4 fields and the Cohen-Lenstra heuristics

Abstract

This article discusses deviations from the Cohen-Lenstra heuristics when roots of unity are present. In particular, we propose an explanation for the discrepancy between the observed number of cyclic cubic fields whose 2-class group is $C_2\times C_2$ and the number predicted by the Cohen-Lenstra heuristics, in terms of an invariant living in a quotient of the Schur multiplier group. We also show that, in some cases, the definition of the invariant can be simplified greatly, and we compute the invariant when the cubic field is ramified at exactly one prime, up to $10^8$.