Abstract:
For an algebraic number field $K$ and a prime $\ell$ we study the
subgroups of global universal norms $U_{S,1}(K)$ and of everywhere
locally universal norms $U_{S,2}(K)$ in the cyclotomic
$\mathbb Z_\ell$-extension $K_\infty$ of $K$ in the pro-$\ell$-completion
of the group of $S$-units $U_S(K)[\ell]$, where $S$ is the set of all
places over $\ell$. Assuming that the $\ell$-adic Schanuel conjecture
holds, we prove the finiteness of the index
$(U_{S,2}(K):U_{S,1}(K))$, whence we obtain a conditional
proof of a conjecture in [1] on the Iwasawa module.
We also obtain an unconditional proof of all these results
in the particular case when $K$ is a Galois extension
of $\mathbb Q$ with symmetric Galois group $G=S_4$,
$K$ contains an imaginary quadratic field, and $\ell$ is a prime
such that the decomposition subgroup of its prime divisor
coincides with the Sylow $3$-subgroup of $G$.
Keywords:$S$-units, local universal norms, global universal norms,
cyclotomic $\mathbb Z_\ell$-extension, Schanuel's conjecture, Iwasawa theory.