The graded Witt group kernel of biquadratic extensions in characteristic two (Q1950635)

Let \(F\) be a field of characteristic \(2\). Let \(\mathrm{WF}\) denote the Witt ring of symmetric bilinear forms over \(F\), and \(\mathrm{W}_q\mathrm{F}\) the \(\mathrm{WF}\)-module of nonsingular quadratic forms over \(F\). A bilinear \(n\)-fold Pfister form \(\langle\!\langle a_1,\dots ,a_n\rangle\!\rangle\) is a tensor product of \(n\) binary symmetric bilinear forms \(\langle 1,a_i\rangle\), and a quadratic \(n\)-fold Pfister form \(\langle\!\langle a_1,\dots ,a_n;b]]\) is the product of such a bilinear Pfister form by the binary nonsingular quadratic form \(x^2+xy+by^2\). Let \(I^nF\) be the ideal in \(\mathrm{WF}\) generated by \(n\)-fold bilinear Pfister forms, and let \(I^n\mathrm{W}_q\mathrm{F}\) denote the \(\mathrm{WF}\)-submodule of \(\mathrm{W}_q\mathrm{F}\) generated by quadratic \(n\)-fold Pfister forms. One defines \(\overline{I}^nF=I^nF/I^{n+1}F\) and \(\overline{I}^n\mathrm{W}_q\mathrm{F}=I^nF\cdot \mathrm{W}_q\mathrm{F}/I^{n+1}F\cdot \mathrm{W}_q\mathrm{F}\). Furthermore, let \(\Omega^n_F\) be the \(F\)-vector space of absolute Kähler \(n\)-differentials. Then there is a well-defined homomorphism \[ \wp: \Omega^n_F\mapsto \Omega^n_F/d\Omega^{n-1}_F\,\,\text{ with}\,\, \wp (a\frac{dx_1}{x_1}\wedge\ldots\wedge\frac{dx_n}{x_n})= \overline{(a^2-a) \frac{dx_1}{x_1}\wedge\ldots\wedge\frac{dx_n}{x_n}}, \] whose kernel, resp. cokernel is denoted by \(\nu_F(n)\), resp. \(H^{n+1}_2(F)\). A famous result by Kato states that there are isomorphisms \(\overline{I}^nF\cong \nu_F(n)\) mapping \(\overline{\langle\!\langle a_1,\ldots ,a_n\rangle\!\rangle}\) to \(\frac{dx_1}{x_1}\wedge\ldots\wedge\frac{dx_n}{x_n}\), and \(H^{n+1}_2(F)\cong\overline{I}^nW_q(F)\) mapping \(\overline{b\frac{da_1}{a_1}\wedge\ldots\wedge\frac{da_n}{a_n}}\) to \(\overline{\langle\!\langle a_1,\dots ,a_n;b]]}\). The graded Witt groups of \(F\) are then defined to be \(\mathrm{GWF}= (\overline{I}^0F, \overline{I}^1F, \overline{I}^2F,\ldots)\) and \(\mathrm{GW}_q\mathrm{F}=(\overline{I}^0\mathrm{W}_q\mathrm{F}, \overline{I}^1\mathrm{W}_q\mathrm{F}, \overline{I}^2\mathrm{W}_q\mathrm{F},\ldots)\). The main purpose of the present paper is the determination of the kernel of \(\mathrm{GW}_q\mathrm{F}\to \mathrm{GW}_q\mathrm{E}\) for a biquadratic separable extension \(E/F\) given by \(E=F(\beta_1, \beta_2)\) where \(\beta_i\) is a root of \(X^2+X+b_i\) for some \(b_i\in F^*\). It is shown that there is an exact sequence \(\mathrm{GWF}\oplus \mathrm{GWF}\to \mathrm{GW}_q\mathrm{F}\to \mathrm{GW}_q\mathrm{E}\) where the first map is given by \((\eta_1,\eta_2)\mapsto \eta_1\otimes [1,b_1]+\eta_2\otimes [1,b_2]\). Actually, it is shown that there is an exact sequence \(\nu_F(n)\oplus\nu_F(n)\to H_2^{n+1}(F)\to H_2^{n+1}(E)\). The result on the graded Witt groups then follows from Kato's isomorphisms. A crucial ingredient in the proof is the study of \textit{O. Izhboldin}'s groups \(Q^n(F,m)\), see [Algebraic \(K\)-theory, Pap. Semin., Leningrad/USSR, Adv. Sov. Math. 4, 129--144 (1991; Zbl 0746.19002)]. These groups are defined as certain quotients of \(W_m(F)\otimes F^{*\otimes n}\) where \(W_m(F)\) denotes the Witt vectors over \(F\) of length \(m\). It is sketched how to prove the above exactness in the case \(n=1\) solely within the theory of differential forms, and it is also indicated why this approach doesn't work anymore for arbitrary \(n\) and why then one has to use the groups \(Q^n(F,m)\), \(m=1,2\). Applications to algebras of index and exponent \(4\) are also given.