The Witt semigroup of central simple algebras with involution (Q1961694)

Let \(F\) be a field of characteristic different from~\(2\). An involution of the first kind on a central simple \(F\)-algebra is an \(F\)-linear anti-automorphism of order~\(2\). An involution is called hyperbolic if it is the adjoint involution of a hyperbolic Hermitian or skew-Hermitian form. On the set of isomorphism classes of central simple \(F\)-algebras with involution of the first kind, the author defines an equivalence relation by setting \(x\sim y\) if either \(x=y\) or \(x\) and \(y\) are the classes of central simple \(F\)-algebras with hyperbolic involutions. For the binary operation induced by the tensor product, the quotient set is a commutative semigroup with zero, which is called the Witt semigroup of \(F\) and denoted \(S(F)\). This semigroup is shown to have properties which are analogous to the multiplicative properties of the Witt ring of \(F\). In particular, if \(F\) is formally real there is a local-global principle for nilpotent elements, and the set of all minimal prime ideals in \(S(F)\) is in one-to-one correspondence with the set of all orderings of \(F\) through signature homomorphisms. Moreover, the Kist topology on the set of minimal prime ideals is shown to coincide under this correspondence with the Harrison topology on the space of orderings. After this paper was written, a variant of the Witt semigroup construction, yielding a smaller Witt semigroup, was devised and investigated by \textit{I.~Dejaiffe}, the author and the reviewer [Rend. Circ. Mat. Palermo, II. Ser. 49, No.~2, 325-342 (2000; see the preceding review Zbl 0957.16013)].