PIMS-URegina Mathematics and Statistics Colloquium: Eric Primozic

I will discuss how Steenrod operations on mod p Chow groups can be used to study problems in algebra and algebraic geometry. For quadratic forms, Steenrod squares on mod 2 Chow groups are used. Some of the problems that can be solved by studying Steenrod squares on mod 2 Chow groups of projective quadrics include determining the possible values of the first Witt index of an anisotropic quadratic form and constructing fields with certain u-invariants. The results we obtain over a base field of characteristic 2 are new and use the Steenrod squares discussed in my previous talk.