On the Malle conjecture and the self-twisted cover

Abstract

We show that for a large class of finite groups G, the number of Galois extensions E/Q of group G and discriminant $|d_E|\leq y$ grows like a power of $y$ (for some specified exponent). The groups G are the regular Galois groups over Q and the extensions E/Q that we count are obtained by specialization from a given regular Galois extension F/Q(T). The extensions E/Q can further be prescribed any unramified local behavior at each suitably large prime $p\leq \log (y)/\delta$ for some $\delta\geq 1$. This result is a step toward the Malle conjecture on the number of Galois extensions of given group and bounded discriminant. The local conditions further make it a notable constraint on regular Galois groups over Q. The method uses the notion of self-twisted cover that we introduce.