English

On the absence of uniform denominators in Hilbert's 17th problem

Algebraic Geometry 2007-05-23 v1 Commutative Algebra Number Theory

Abstract

Hilbert showed that for most (n,m)(n,m) there exist psd forms p(x1,...,xn)p(x_1,...,x_n) of degree mm which cannot be written as a sum of squares of forms. His 17th problem asked whether, in this case, there exists a form hh so that h2ph^2p is a sum of squares of forms; that is, pp is a sum of squares of rational functions with denominator hh. We show that, for every such (n,m)(n,m) there does not exist a single form hh which serves in this way as a denominator for {\it every} psd p(x1,...,xn)p(x_1,...,x_n) of degree mm.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.math/0306163,
  title  = {On the absence of uniform denominators in Hilbert's 17th problem},
  author = {Bruce Reznick},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:math/0306163},
  year   = {2007}
}

Comments

Submitted to Proceedings of the American Mathematical Society