No label defined (Q4948101)

Let \(k\) be a field different from 2. For any field extension \(L/k\) the trace form is defined by \(q_L(x,y)= \text{trace}_{L/k} (x\cdot y)\). Now let \(L/k\) be a Galois extension with Galois group \(G\). Then \(q_L\) is also a \(G\)-form. Let \(\Gamma_k\) be the absolute Galois group of \(k\). Then \(\Phi_L: \Gamma_k\to G\) induces a homomorphism \(\Phi_L^*: H^1 (G,\mu_2)\to H^1(\Gamma_k, \mu_2)\). In [Jahresber. Dtsch. Math.-Ver. 96, 35-55 (1994; Zbl 0804.12003)] the first author conjectured that the multiple \([2^{d-1}] q_L= \bigoplus_{i=1}^{2^{d-2}} q_L\) is determined by the values \(x_L= \Phi_L^*(x)\) for all \(x\in H^1 (G,\mu_2)\) if the 2-cohomological dimension of \(\Gamma_k\) is at most \(d\). In the paper under review the authors give an affirmative answer in the case \(d=2\). More precisely \([2]q_L\) and \([2]q_{L'}\) are isomorphic if and only if \((x_L,-1)= (x_{L'}, -1)\in H^2 (\Gamma_k, \mu_2)\simeq \text{Br}_2(k)\) for all \(x\in H^1 (G,\mu_2)\). Similar results are given for fields of virtual 2-cohomological dimension at most 2. The proofs of these results are based on results on linear algebraic groups.