A closer look at Witt rings for forms of higher degree

Abstract

Witt rings for nondegenerate forms $\phi$ of degree $d$ over a field of characteristic 0 or greater than $d$ were defined by Harrison and Pareigis. We revisit and discuss their definition as well as some special cases, classify the $H$-forms employed in their definition, and define Witt rings of diagonal forms of degree $d$. We also define two new Witt rings for nondegenerate forms $\phi$ of degree $d$.