\(P\)-critical integral quadratic forms and positive unit forms: an algorithmic approach (Q603119)

The authors introduce the class of \(P\)-critical integral unit forms \(q:\mathbb{Z}^n\to\mathbb{Z}\) containing the critical forms in the sense of Ovsienko. Several characterizations of \(P\)-critical forms are given. In particular, it is proved that \(q\) is \(P\)-critical if and only if there is a uniquely determined extended Dynkin diagram \(\Delta\in \{\widetilde{\mathbb{A}}_n, \widetilde{\mathbb{D}}_n, \widetilde{\mathbb{E}}_6, \widetilde{\mathbb{E}}_7, \widetilde{\mathbb{E}}_8\}\) and a special group isomorphism \(T:\mathbb{Z}^n\to \mathbb{Z}^n\) such that \(q\circ T\) is the quadratic form \(q_\Delta: \mathbb{Z}^n\to \mathbb{Z}\), \(n= |\Delta_0|\), of the diagram \(\Delta\). A correspondence between positive forms \(p: \mathbb{Z}^{n-1}\to \mathbb{Z}\) with a sincere root and \(P\)-critical forms \(q: \mathbb{Z}^n\to \mathbb{Z}\) is described. The authors construct efficient linear algebra algorithms for computing \(P\)-critical unit forms and positive forms.