No label defined (Q4944317)

Let \(L/k\) be a quadratic extension of fields of characteristic different from two. Let \(f\) be a nondegenerate Hermitian form on a vector space \(V\) over \(L\). A \(k\)-substructure of \(V\) is a \(k\)-subspace \(W\) with the property that the \(L\)-subspace spanned by \(W\) has the same dimension as \(W\) over \(k\). A \(k\)-substructure is irreducible if it cannot be decomposed into direct sum of mutually orthogonal \(k\)-substructures. The author constructs bases for irreducible \(k\)-substructures \(W\) in which the restriction \(f_{|W}\) has a simple matrix. The uniqueness of such a matrix is discussed and determined up to the action of a subgroup of the linear group over \(k\).