Norm forms for arbitrary number fields as products of linear polynomials

Tim Browning, Lilian Matthiesen

Published 2013-07-29, updated 2015-01-28Version 2

Let K/Q be a field extension of finite degree and let P(t) be a polynomial over Q that splits into linear factors over Q. We show that any smooth model of the affine variety defined by the equation N_{K/Q} (k) = P(t) satisfies the Hasse principle and weak approximation whenever the Brauer-Manin obstruction is empty. Our proof is based on a combination of methods from additive combinatorics due to Green-Tao and Green-Tao-Ziegler, together with an application of the descent theory of Colliot-Th\'el\`ene and Sansuc.