Sums of squares in division algebras

central simple F- algebra crossed product division algebra F-automorphism Galois group Galois maximal subfield inner automorphisms quaternion algebra sums of squares

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Quadratic forms over general fields (11E04) Fields related with sums of squares (formally real fields, Pythagorean fields, etc.) (12D15) Skew fields, division rings (12E15) Division rings and semisimple Artin rings (16Kxx) Finite rings and finite-dimensional associative algebras (16P10) Automorphisms and endomorphisms (16W20)

Review text

Suppose F is a field of characteristic not 2, and A is a central simple (finite dimensional) F-algebra. Let \(\Sigma A^ 2\) denote the set of sums of squares of elements in A. The question is whether \(\Sigma A^ 2=A\). The authors find examples of fields F and F-algebras A where \(\Sigma A^ 2\neq A\). In fact, whenever F is not a SAP field (e.g. \(F={\mathbb{Q}}(x))\) then there are quaternion algebra examples over F. This answers a question of Jacobson. Such examples seem to be quite rare. If \(A\neq\Sigma A^ 2\) then F must be formally real, A must be a division algebra and no subfield \(L\supseteq F\) in A can have an F-automorphism of order \(>2\). Consequently, if such an algebra A is a crossed product, the Galois group of a Galois maximal subfield must be an elementary abelian 2-group. A major step in the proofs of these results is the following Theorem: Let A be a central simple F-algebra. Then 0 is a sum of nonzero squares in A if and only if \(\Sigma A^ 2=A\). This theorem is proved using a characterization (due to Kasch, Asano and others) of the linear subspaces of A which are invariant under all inner automorphisms. This result on invariant subspaces also provides the tool needed to determine \(\Sigma A^ 2\) when F has characteristic 2. In that case, \(\Sigma A^ 2=\{a\in A: tr(a)\in F^ 2\}.\) Here tr: \(A\to F\) is the reduced trace.

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