Intersections of Class Fields

Using class field theory, we prove a restriction on the intersection of the maximal abelian extensions associated with different number fields. This restriction is then used to improve a result of Rosen and Silverman about the linear independence of Heegner points. In addition, it yields effective restrictions for the special points lying on an algebraic subvariety in a product of modular curves. The latter application is related to the Andr'e-Oort conjecture.