On the representations of \(-1\) as a sum of squares in a cyclotomic field (Q2534221)

The author considers the problem: What is the least \(s\) such that \(-1 = \alpha_1^2+\ldots + \alpha_s^2\), where the \(\alpha\)'s \(\in K = \mathbb Q(e^{2\pi i/p})\) where \(p\) is an odd prime. An example of the theorems obtained is that \(s=2\) when \(p\equiv 3\pmod 8\). [Subsequently John H. Smith and the author observed independently that \(s=2\) whenever the exponent \(f\) of \(2\pmod p\) is an even integer. Also S. Chowla and the author have proved that \(s =4\) when \(p\equiv 7\pmod 8\). When \(p\equiv 1\pmod 8\), the first unsettled case is \(p = 73\). Here \(f=9\) since \(2^9\equiv 1\pmod{73}\) while \(2^g\not\equiv1\pmod{73}\) for \(1\le g<9\)].