Linear spaces on the intersection of two quadratic hypersurfaces, and systems of \(p\)-adic quadratic forms (Q2581031)

Let \(\beta_p(r;m)\) be the least positive integer with the property that the intersection of any \(s > \beta_p(r;m)\) quadrics over the field of \(p-\)adic numbers admits a linear space of projective dimension \(m\). The author proves that \(\beta_p(2;m) \leq 10 + 2m\) for \(p \neq 2\), and \(\beta_p(4;m) \leq 30 + 4m\) for \(p \neq 2\). This improves on earlier results of \textit{D. B. Leep} [J. Reine Angew. Math. 350, 109--116 (1984; Zbl 0531.10023)] and \textit{G. Martin} [Bull. Lond. Math. Soc. 29, No. 4, 385--388 (1997; Zbl 0868.11019)]. The first inequality follows easily by using results of \textit{M. Amer} [Quadratische Formen über Funktionenkörper. Dissertation, Mainz (1976)] and \textit{R. Parimala} and \textit{V. Suresh} [Publ. Math., Inst. Hautes Étud. Sci. 88, 129--150 (1998; Zbl 0972.11020)] on similarly defined \(\beta\) over rational function fields. The second result follows from the inequality \(\beta_p(4;m) \leq \beta_p(2;\beta_p(2;m))\) established by the author.