Some geometric characterizations of Pythagorean and Euclidean fields (Q2035101)

The results presented in this note concern Euclidean planes. These structures, defined with incidence and congruence relations, can be considered as coordinate planes derived from a separable quadratic extension \(E\) over a (commutative) field \(K\) of characteristic \(\neq 2\), endowed with an involutory automorphism. Setting \(K^*:=K \setminus \{0\}\), \ \(K^{(2)}:=\{\xi^2 : \xi \in K^*\}\), \ \(K_0^{(2)}:=K^{(2)} \cup \{0\}\), the field \(K\) is called \textit{Pythagorean} if \(K^{(2)}+ K^{(2)} \subseteq K^{(2)}\), is called \textit{semi Euclidean} if \(K^*= K^{(2)}\dot\cup -K^{(2)}\) (disjoint union) and is called \textit{Euclidean} if \(K\) is Pythagorean and semi Euclidean. The author characterizes the algebraic properties: \(-1\) is a square in \(K\), \(K\) is Pythagorean and \(K\) is Euclidean in terms of incidence conditions of lines and circles in \(E\). Moreover, he characterizes these properties by comparing four betweenness relations.