Isotropy of unitary involutions (Q392791)

The main object of the paper under review is a central simple \(K\)-algebra \(A\) with an \(F\)-linear unitary involution \(\sigma\) (\(K/F\) denotes a separable quadratic field extension). A right ideal \(I\) of \(A\) is called isotropic if \(\sigma (I)\cdot I=0\). The involution \(\sigma\) is called hyperbolic if there exists an isotropic ideal of reduced dimension \(\dim (A)/2\). (By definition, the reduced dimension of \(I\) is \(\dim_KI/\sqrt{\dim_KA}\).) Assuming that the characteristic of \(F\) is different from 2, the author proves that if \(\sigma\) is not hyperbolic, then for some field extension \(F'/F\), such that \(K'=K\otimes_FF'\) is a splitting field for \(A\), the extension of \(\sigma\) to the central simple \(K'\)-algebra \(A'=A\otimes_FF'\) is an \(F'\)-linear unitary involution which is still not hyperbolic. This result can be viewed as a stronger analogue of the orthogonal and symplectic hyperbolicity theorems proved by the author and \textit{J.-P.~Tignol}, respectively [Doc. Math., J. DMV Extra Vol., 371--392 (2010; Zbl 1258.14007)]. Recently, in a joint paper of the author with \textit{M. Zhykhovich} [``Isotropy of unitary involutions'', \url{arxiv:1103.5777}, to appear in Acta Math.), an even stronger statement, a unitary isotropy theorem, was proved: if \(\sigma\) is anisotropic over any finite odd degree field extension of \(F\), then for some field extension \(F'/F\), such that \(K'=K\otimes_FF'\) is a splitting field for \(A\), the extension of \(\sigma\) to the central simple \(K'\)-algebra \(A'=A\otimes_FF'\) is an \(F'\)-linear unitary involution which is still anisotropic. As in the orthogonal case, the proof is based on motivic decompositions of certain algebraic varieties related to \(A\), which generalize classical Severi-Brauer varieties.