Henselization of a valued field
A minimal algebraic extension  $  ( L,w ) $
of a valued field  $  ( K,v ) $(
i.e., a field  $  K $
equipped with a valuation  $  v $) 
such that the valuation ring of  $  w $
satisfies the Hensel lemma. This holds if and only if  $  w $
admits a unique extension to every algebraic extension field of  $  L $(
cf. [a2]). Therefore, Henselizations can be characterized as the decomposition fields of the extensions  $  v  ^ {s} $
of  $  v $
to the separable-algebraic closure  $  K  ^ {s} $
of  $  K $(
see Ramification theory of valued fields). The minimality is expressed by the following universal property of Henselizations: they admit a unique embedding over  $  K $
in every other Henselian extension field of  $  ( K,v ) $(
cf. [a2]). In particular, the Henselization of  $  ( K,v ) $
is unique up to a valuation-preserving isomorphism over  $  K $; 
thus, it makes sense to denote it by  $  ( K  ^ {H} ,v  ^ {H} ) $(
there are some other notations in the literature). The extension  $  v  ^ {H} \mid  v $
is immediate (see also valuation); for an elegant proof, see [a1].
References
| [a1] | J. Ax, "A metamathematical approach to some problems in number theory, Appendix" D.J. Lewis (ed.) , Proc. Symp. Pure Math. , 20 , Amer. Math. Soc. (1971) pp. 161–190 | 
| [a2] | P. Ribenboim, "Théorie des valuations" , Presses Univ. Montréal (1964) | 
Henselization of a valued field. Encyclopedia of Mathematics. URL: http://encyclopediaofmath.org/index.php?title=Henselization_of_a_valued_field&oldid=47212