Quadratic forms isotropic over the function field of a conic (Q1344163)

Let \(F\) be a field of characteristic not 2 and let \(K\) be the function field of an anisotropic conic \(\langle 1, -a, -b \rangle\). This paper discusses the behavior of quadratic forms over \(F\) under the extension \(K\). The main tool is a theorem of \textit{M. Rost} [Math. Ann. 288, 511-513 (1990; Zbl 0706.11065)] on forms over \(F\) which become isotropic over \(K\). Only elementary techniques from the algebraic theory of quadratic forms are required. In the first section the authors give a new proof of Rost's theorem and introduce the notions of splitting index and splitting degree of a form, which arise naturally from Rost's approach. They show that these two invariants are equal and investigate other related invariants. In section 2 Lam's question, whether a form over \(F\) which is isotropic over \(K\) contains a scalar multiple of \(\langle 1, -a, -b \rangle\) as a subform, is discussed from the point of view of the splitting index. In fact, as the authors show, the question is equivalent to asking whether or not the splitting index is 1. Known as well as some new results on Lam's question are given. In particular counter-examples of Wadsworth in dimension 5 are discussed and counter-examples in any dimension \(\geq 5\) are given. In all given cases the splitting index is 2. The authors expect that any natural number can occur as splitting index.