The product formula of algebraic number theory connects finite and infinite primes in a stringent way, a fact, while not hard to be checked, that has never ceased to be tantalizing. We propose a new concept of prime for any field and investigate some of its properties. There are algebraic primes, corresponding to valuations, such that every prime contains a largest algebraic one. For a number field, this algebraic part is zero just for the infinite primes. It is shown that the primes of any field form a tree with a kind of self-similar structure, and there is a binary operation on the primes, unexplored even for the rationals. Every prime defines a topology on the field, and each compact prime gives rise to a unique Haar measure, playing an essential part in the product formula.
@article{1409,
title = {The tree of primes in a field},
journal = {CUBO, A Mathematical Journal},
volume = {12},
year = {2010},
language = {en},
url = {http://dml.mathdoc.fr/item/1409}
}
Rump, Wolfgang. The tree of primes in a field. CUBO, A Mathematical Journal, Tome 12 (2010) . http://gdmltest.u-ga.fr/item/1409/