Generic splitting for abstract Witt rings

Speaker: Vincent Astier (Universitaet Konstanz)

Time: 3:00PM
Date: Tue 17th July 2007

Location: Mathematical Sciences Seminar Room

Abstract
The theory of generic splitting of quadratic forms over a field K describes how we can add (generic) zeros to a given quadratic form over K by going to a field extension of K, and then describes the Witt ring of some of these extensions.

Using some notions from model theory, we present a possible generalization of these techniques to abstract Witt rings (more precisely: to special groups), so to a situation whithout any underlying field.

(This talk is part of the K-Theory, Quadratic Forms and Number Theory series.)