Witt groups of Hermitian forms over a Brauer-Severi variety (Q968612)

Let \(k\) be a field with \(\text{char}\,k \neq 2\), let \(X\) be a scheme such that \(2 \in H^0(X, {\mathcal O}_X^*)\), and let \({\mathcal A}\) be an algebra over the scheme \(X\) with a \({\mathcal O}_X\)-linear involution \(\sigma\) (here an \({\mathcal O}_X\)-algebra is always assumed to be an associative \({\mathcal O}_X\)-algebra that is unital and locally free of finite constant rank as an \({\mathcal O}_X\)-module). For a given locally free \({\mathcal A}\)-module \({\mathcal M}\) of constant finite rank, denote by \(\{\text{Ext}^i({\mathcal M}, \cdot)\}\) the right derived functor of the group of \({\mathcal A}\)-module homomorphisms \({\mathcal H}om_{\mathcal A}({\mathcal M}, \cdot)\), that is a universal contravariant \(\delta\)-functor from locally free right \({\mathcal A}\)-modules of constant finite rank to abelian groups. In the paper under review the author starts with proving the following theorem: If \(({\mathcal G}, b)\) is a hermitian space over \({\mathcal A}\), if \(0 \rightarrow {\mathcal N} \overset{\iota}{\rightarrow} {\mathcal B} \overset{\pi}{\rightarrow} {\mathcal G} \rightarrow 0\) is a short exact sequence of locally free right \({\mathcal A}\)-modules of constant finite rank, and if \(\text{Ext}^1({\mathcal N}^*, {\mathcal N}) = \text{Ext}^2({\mathcal N}^*, {\mathcal N}) = 0\), then there exist a hermitian space \(({\mathcal M}, h)\) and identifications of \({\mathcal N}\) and \({\mathcal B}\) in \({\mathcal M}\) such that \({\mathcal B} = {\mathcal N}^{\perp}\) in \(({\mathcal M}, h)\) and \(({\mathcal G}, b) \cong (\overline{{\mathcal M}}, \overline{h})\), where \(\overline{{\mathcal M}} = {\mathcal N}^{\perp}/{\mathcal N}\), and \(\overline{h}\) is uniquely determined by \(\iota^* \circ h \circ \iota = \pi^* \circ \overline{h} \circ \pi\). This generalizes a result previously proven by \textit{J. Arason} [Math. Ann. 253, No. 3, 205--212 (1980; Zbl 0431.10011)] for symmetric bilinear spaces over schemes. Secondly, let \(D\) be a division algebra over \(k\), let \(X = {\mathbb P}^n_k\), let \({\mathcal D} = D \otimes_k {\mathcal O}_X\), and, for a locally free right \({\mathcal D}\)-module \({\mathcal E}\) and \(m \in {\mathbb Z}\), denote \({\mathcal E}(m) = {\mathcal O}_X(m) \otimes_{{\mathcal O}_X} {\mathcal E}\) and \(\text{Ext}^ i({\mathcal D}, {\mathcal E}(*)) = \bigoplus_{j \in {\mathbb Z}} \text{Ext}^i({\mathcal D}, {\mathcal E}(j))\), for integers \(j \geq 0\). The author then proves that a locally free right \({\mathcal D}\)-module \({\mathcal E}\) satisfies \({\mathcal E} \cong {\mathcal D}(m_1) \oplus \ldots \oplus {\mathcal D} (m_t)\) if and only if \(\text{Ext}^i({\mathcal D}, {\mathcal E}(*)) = 0\) for \(i \in {\mathbb Z}\) and \(0 < i < n\). This generalizes the classical Horrock's theorem as stated in [\textit{W. Barth} and \textit{K. Hulek}, Manuscr. Math. 25, No. 4, 323--347 (1978; Zbl 0395.14007)]. These two theorems, along with some additional observations on extension groups, are used to prove the main result of the paper: Let \(k_s\) denote a separable closure of \(k\), let \(X\) be a Brauer-Severi variety with the structure morphism \(\tau: X \rightarrow \text{Spec}(k)\), let \(l/k\) be a separable extension with a \(k\)-linear involution \(\sigma\), let \(Y = X \times_k l\) and \(X_s = X \times_k k_s \cong {\mathbb P}_{k_s}^{n-1}\). If \(X = {\mathbb P}_k^{n-1}\), then the canonical group homomorphism \(U_{\tau}: W^1(l) \rightarrow W^1(l \otimes_k {\mathcal O}_X)\) is surjective. Again, this generalizes a result previously proven by \textit{J. Arason} [loc. cit.] for symmetric bilinear spaces over schemes. The proof essentially follows the method from \textit{S. Pumplün} [Manuscr. Math. 97, No. 1, 93--108 (1998; Zbl 0924.14008)] and \textit{J. Arason} [loc. cit.] where killing of cohomology groups and Horrock's theorem are used to reduce to the case of direct sum of line bundles; here killing of cohomology groups corresponds to the aforementioned results on extension groups, and the generalized version of Horrock's theorem is applied.