Chain equivalences for symplectic bases, quadratic forms and tensor products of quaternion algebras

Abstract

We present a set of generators for the symplectic group which is different from the well-known set of transvections, from which the chain equivalence for quadratic forms in characteristic 2 is an immediate result. Based on the chain equivalences for quadratic forms, both in characteristic 2 and not 2, we provide chain equivalences for tensor products of quaternion algebras over fields with no nontrivial 3-fold Pfister forms. The chain equivalence for biquaternion algebras in characteristic 2 is also obtained in this process, without any assumption on the base-field.