Annihilating polynomials, étale algebras, trace forms and the Galois number (Q1587790)

Consider a finite separable field extension \(L/K\) od degree \(n\) of fields of characteristic different from 2. Let \(\langle L\rangle: L\times L \to K:(x,y) \mapsto\text{trace}_{L/K} (xy)\) denote the trace form of \(L/K\). In some unpublished paper P. E. Conner shows that the polynomial \[ C_n(X)= \prod^n_{k=0\atop k \equiv n \text{mod} 2} (X-k) \] annihilates the trace form in the Witt ring \(W(K)\) of \(K\), i.e. \(C_n(\langle L\rangle)= 0\in W(K)\). This result has been improved by Beaulieu and Palfrey in the following sense: Let \(N\) be a normal closure of \(L/k\) and let \(G\) be its Galois group. Then \(G\) acts transitively on the roots of a defining polynomial \(f(X)\) of \(L/K\). This action gives rise to a Galois number \(g\). Now the Beaulieu-Palfrey polynomial is defined to be \[ B(X)=(X-n) \cdot\prod^{g-1}_{k=0\atop k \equiv n \text{mod} 2}(X-k). \] Their result states that \(B(X)\) annihilates the trace form \(\langle L \rangle\) in the Witt ring. Conner, Beaulieu and Palfrey, they all worked in the Burnside ring to prove their theorems. Now Lewis and McGarraghy follow an approach of Dress on an isomorphism between the Burnside ring of finite \(G\)-sets and the Grothendieck ring of the category of étale \(K\)-algebras to give another annihilating polynomial for the trace form. This result covers the earlier results on trace forms and another result of Lewis on annihilating polynomials of quadratic forms.