Special forms of two symbols are division algebras (Q697405)

Let \(F\) be a field of nonzero characteristic \(p\), and \((a,b]\) the symbol \(F\)-algebra associated with a pair \((a,b)\) of elements of \(F\), such that \(b\neq 0\); this means that \((a,b]\) is generated over \(F\) by elements \(x\) and \(y\) subject to the relations \(x^p-x=a\), \(y^p=b\) and \(yx=(x+1)y\). It is well-known that every central simple \(F\)-algebra of exponent \(p\) is similar to a tensor product of symbol \(F\)-algebras (of Schur index \(p\)). The present paper is devoted to the study of central simple \(F\)-algebras of exponent \(p\), under the assumption that \(F\) is provided with a nontrivial valuation \(v\). Its starting point is the authors' earlier result [see Proc. Symp. Pure Math. 58, Part 2, 27-43 (1995; Zbl 0832.16015)] that if \(F\) is maximally complete and the residue field of \((F,v)\) is perfect, then these algebras are similar to special forms of symbols, i.e. to tensor products of symbol \(F\)-algebras of index \(p\) whose canonical generators are subject to certain restrictions expressed in terms of valuation theory (the explicit description of these restrictions is too technical to be presented here). The notion of special forms of symbols makes sense for an arbitrary valued field \((F,v)\) and the computation of their Schur indices is of definite interest. The paper under review shows that special forms of \(n\) symbols are representatives of nonzero elements of the Brauer group \(\text{Br}(F)\), for an arbitrary positive integer \(n\), and that they are division \(F\)-algebras (equivalently, algebras of index \(p^n\)) in the special case of \(n\leq 2\). Also, it provides an example of a special form in three symbols that is not a division algebra (its underlying division algebra turns out to be indecomposable of index \(p^2\)). The proof contains information of independent interest concerning the value groups, residue division rings and other properties of special forms in arbitrarily many symbols.