Cyclic Compositions and Trisotopies

Cyclic compositions in the sense of Springer and Knus-Merkurjev-Rost-Tignol are investigated by means of cyclic trisotopies, a concept originally due to Albert. Using the quadrupling of composition algebras, we enumerate cyclic trisotopies and compositions in a rational manner, i.e., without extending the base field. We relate cyclic trisotopies explicitly to simple associative algebras of degree 3 with involution and to the Tits process of Albert algebras.

(Updated version 6 Dec 2005)


H. P. Petersson < Holger.Petersson@FernUni-Hagen.de >