Computing class groups by induction with generalised norm relations

Abstract

We introduce a generalisation of norm relations in the group algebra Q[G], where G is a finite group. We give some properties of these relations, and use them to obtain relations between the S-unit groups of different subfields of the same Galois extension of Q, of Galois group G. Then we deduce an algorithm to compute the class groups of some number fields by reducing the problem to fields of lower degree. We compute the class groups of some large number fields.