On Hermitian trace forms over Hilbertian fields (Q5947800)

Let \(k\) be a field of characteristic not \(2\), and let \(E/k\) be a finite separable extension with a nontrivial \(k\)-linear involution \(\sigma\). For each \(\sigma\)-symmetric element \(\mu \in E^*\), the quadratic form \(\text{Tr}_{E/k}(\langle \mu\rangle_{\sigma}):E \to k\) defined by \(x \mapsto \text{Tr}_{E/k}(\mu x x^{\sigma})\) is a Hermitian scaled trace form. If \(\mu = 1\), it is the Hermitian trace form of \(E/k\) relative to \(\sigma\). In this paper the following theorem is proved: Let \(k\) be a Hilbertian field of characteristic not \(2\). Then every even-dimensional quadratic form over \(k\), which is not isomorphic to the hyperbolic plane, is isomorphic to a Hermitian scaled trace form. Additional results on Witt classes of Hermitian trace forms over some Hilbertian fields are also given. A quadratic form is called \(h\)-algebraic if it is Witt equivalent to a Hermitian trace form. The following results are proved: (1) Let \(k\) be a Hilbertian field, and let \(\phi\) be an even-dimensional quadratic form that is totally positive definite. Then \(\phi\) is \(h\)-algebraic. In particular, if \(k\) is a non formally real Hilbertian field, then every even-dimensional quadratic form is \(h\)-algebraic. (2) Let \(k = R(X)\), where \(R\) is a real closed field, or more generally, let \(k\) be a Hilbertian field of stability index at most \(2\). Then every even-dimensional positive quadratic form is \(h\)-algebraic.