On the computation of the trace form of some Galois extensions (Q1359025)

This paper investigates the trace form tr\(_{L/K}: L \to K : x \to \) tr\(_{L/K}x^2\) of a finite Galois extension \(L/K\). The isometry class of the trace form is determined for most, but not all, Galois extensions of degree \(\leq 31\). In particular, the trace of a cyclic extension of degree 16 and of an extension with Galois group \(Q_{16}\), the generalized quaternion group of order 16, are not computed, but trace forms for Galois extensions for all other groups of order 16 are obtained. Finally the trace form of a cyclotomic extension of \({\mathbb{Q}}\) and of its maximal real subfield are determined. The trace form of a cyclotomic extension has already been computed by \textit{P. E. Conner} and \textit{R. Perlis} [A survey of trace forms of algebraic number fields (World Scientific, Singapore) (1984; Zbl 0551.10017)], but the proof given here is shorter.