Stability for odd unitary $K_1$

Abstract

We give a new purely algebraic approach to odd unitary groups using odd form rings. Using these objects, we prove the stability theorems for odd unitary $K_1$-functor without using the corresponding result from linear $K$-theory under the ordinary stable rank condition. Moreover, we prove a natural stabilization result for projective unitary groups and various general unitary groups.

The main result was strengthened