Square-reflexive polynomials (Q2162803)

In this paper under review, the authors study a local-global principle for quadratic forms on \(K(X)\) (\(K\) a field with \(\mathrm{char}(K) \neq 2\)) in terms of polynomials in \(K[X]\). We say that \textit{quadratic forms over \(K(X)\) satisfy the local-global principle for isotropy with respect to discrete valuations, which are trivial on \(K\)}, if any quadratic form over \(K(X)\) is isotropic if and only if it has a nontrivial zero over all completions of \(K(X)\) with respect to discrete valuations on \(K(X)\), which are trivial on \(K\). Moreover, a polynomial \(f \in K[X]\), with leading coefficient \(a \in K^\times\), is \textit{square-reflexive} if \(f\) is square-free and every element in the \(K\)-algebra \(K[X]/(f)\) whose norm lies in \(K^{\times 2} \cup a K^{\times 2}\) is given by a square times a polynomial \(g \in K[X]\) such that \(f\) is a square modulo \(g\). In addition, we say that \(K\) is \textit{square-reflexive} if any square-free polynomial in \(K[X]\) is square-reflexive. Two of the main results obtained in this paper are stated below. The field \(K\) is square-reflexive if and only if the following hold: \begin{itemize} \item Every \(5\)-dimensional quadratic form over \(K(X)\) is isotropic. \item Quadratic forms over \(K(X)\) satisfy the local-global principle for isotropy with respect to discrete valuations which are trivial on \(K\). \end{itemize} If \(K\) is finite or pseudo-algebraically closed, then \(K\) is square-reflexive. \ Recall that a field \(K\) is \textit{pseudo-algebraically closed} if every absolutely irreducible variety defined over \(K\) has a \(K\)-rational point.