Explicit methods for the Hasse norm principle and applications to $A_n$ and $S_n$ extensions

Let $K/k$ be an extension of number fields. We describe theoretical results and computational methods for calculating the obstruction to the Hasse norm principle for $K/k$ and the defect of weak approximation for the norm one torus $R^1_{K/k} \mathbb{G}_m$. We apply our techniques to give explicit and computable formulae for the obstruction to the Hasse norm principle and the defect of weak approximation when the normal closure of $K/k$ has symmetric or alternating Galois group.