\(u\)-invariants of fields of characteristic 2 (Q1813000)

For a field \(k\) of characteristic 2, define \(u(k)=\sup\{\dim(q):\) \(q\) is an anisotropic and nonsingular quadratic form over \(k\}\), \(\hat u(k)=\sup\{\dim(q):\) q is an anisotropic quadratic form over \(k\}\). (Each of these generalizes the usual \(u\)-invariant for fields of characteristic not 2.) It is shown that if \(k\) is finitely-generated over its prime field or over an algebraically closed field, then \(u(k)=\hat u(k)\). When \(k\) has a Henselian discrete valuation with residue field \(\bar k\), formulas are proved relating \(u(k)\) and \(\hat u(k)\) to \(u(\bar k)\) and \(\hat u(\hat k)\). This leads to a construction of fields \(k\) with \(u(k)=2^ n\) and \(\hat u(k)=2^ m\) for any natural numbers \(n\leq m\).