English

Small zeros of hermitian forms over a quaternion algebra

Number Theory 2010-04-15 v1

Abstract

Let DD be a positive definite quaternion algebra over a totally real number field KK, F(X,Y)F(X,Y) a hermitian form in 2N variables over DD, and ZZ a right DD-vector space which is isotropic with respect to FF. We prove the existence of a small-height basis for ZZ over DD, such that F(X,X)F(X,X) vanishes at each of the basis vectors. This constitutes a non-commutative analogue of a theorem of Vaaler, and presents an extension of the classical theorem of Cassels on small zeros of rational quadratic forms to the context of quaternion algebras.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.0911.4104,
  title  = {Small zeros of hermitian forms over a quaternion algebra},
  author = {Wai Kiu Chan and Lenny Fukshansky},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0911.4104},
  year   = {2010}
}

Comments

14 pages; to appear in Acta Arithmetica