A bilinear form B is anisotropic when every isotropic vector (one with
B x x = 0) is zero.
Instances For
A subspace H is hyperbolic for B iff it is spanned by n mutually orthogonal
hyperbolic pairs (vs i, ws i) with B (vs i) (ws i) = 1 and all self-pairings and
cross-pairings between distinct pairs vanishing.
Instances For
Given a nondegenerate symmetric form (with 2 invertible) and a nonzero isotropic
vector v, there exists w forming a hyperbolic pair with v: B v w = B w v = 1
and B w w = 0.
If a reflexive nondegenerate form B restricts nondegenerately to a subspace P,
then it also restricts nondegenerately to the orthogonal complement of P.
Restriction of a symmetric bilinear form to a subspace remains symmetric.
The restriction of any bilinear form to ⊥ is vacuously nondegenerate.
The orthogonal complement of the trivial subspace ⊥ is the whole space ⊤.
If B is anisotropic on all of V, then its restriction to ⊤ is also
anisotropic.
Compatibility of orthogonal complements with the lift Pperp.subtype: the
orthogonal of P ⊔ (H' lifted to V) equals the lift of (B|Pperp).orthogonal H'.
Lifting complements through a complement: if P ⊕ Pperp = V and H' ⊕ A' = Pperp,
then (P ⊔ H'.map Pperp.subtype) ⊕ (A'.map Pperp.subtype) = V.
Anisotropy transfers through the lift W.subtype: if (B|W)|A is anisotropic,
then B restricted to the lifted subspace A.map W.subtype is anisotropic.
Garrett's Chapter 7 Corollary: every finite-dimensional nondegenerate symmetric
formed space decomposes as H ⊕ A where H is hyperbolic, A = H⊥, and the
restriction of B to A is anisotropic. Proved by strong induction on
Module.finrank F V.