When is the Clifford algebra of a binary cubic form split? (Q1184197)

From MaRDI portal
scientific article
Language Label Description Also known as
English
When is the Clifford algebra of a binary cubic form split?
scientific article

    Statements

    When is the Clifford algebra of a binary cubic form split? (English)
    0 references
    0 references
    28 June 1992
    0 references
    Let \(F\) be a field of characteristic not \(2\) or \(3\) and let \(f\) be a nondegenerate cubic binary form over \(F\). The author showed in a previous paper [Am. J. Math. 106, 1269-1280 (1984; Zbl 0585.13001)]\ that the Clifford algebra \(C_ f\) of \(f\) is an Azumaya algebra of rank \(9\) over its center and that the center is the affine ring of a certain elliptic curve. The main result of this nice paper is that \(C_ f\) is split if and only if the ternary form \(w^ 3-f(u,v)\) has a nontrivial rational point over \(F\). As application the author gives examples of Clifford algebras \(C_ f\) which are not split, but such that any simple homomorphic image is split. The first example is over the field \(\mathbb{C}(x)\) and the second is over \(\mathbb{Q}\).
    0 references
    0 references
    0 references
    0 references
    0 references
    cubic binary form
    0 references
    Clifford algebra
    0 references
    Azumaya algebra
    0 references
    elliptic curve
    0 references