Hilbert norm residue symbol ($(a,b{)}_{F,m}$)

For a local field $F$ containing ${\mu }_m$, the symbol is ${\mathrm{rec}}_F(b)(a^{1/m})/a^{1/m}\in {\mu }_m$, after fixing a convention for Local Artin reciprocity. It is independent of the chosen root and bilinear. Its kernel in the second variable is the norm subgroup of $F(a^{1/m})/F$. The quadratic Hilbert symbol is the sign-valued case relevant to quadratic forms.

The symbol is one exactly when $b$ is a norm from $K_v(\sqrt{a})$, and is always one if $a$ is square. Equivalently the conic $z^2=a{x}^2+b{y}^2$ is isotropic. This proves symmetry. The cyclic local norm index makes the norm subgroup have index two for nonsquare $a$, proving bilinearity and nondegeneracy on local square classes. Also $(a,-a{)}_v=1$ and $(a,a{)}_v=(a,-1{)}_v$.

For odd $p$ and p-adic units $u,v$, the quadratic Hilbert symbol isThe Legendre symbols record the two unit square classes. For $p=2$, put $ϵ(u)=(u-1)/2\mathrm{mod}2$ and $\omega (u)=(u^2-1)/8\mathrm{mod}2$. ThenThe basis $-1,2,5$ of the square-class group of the 2-adic numbers gives this formula: its only negative basis pairings are $(-1,-1{)}_2$ and $(2,5{)}_2=(5,2{)}_2$. The first is obstructed by sums of squares modulo four, the second by $x^2-2y^2$ modulo eight; the remaining pairings have explicit field norm representatives.

In the square-class group of a p-adic field, the unit subgroup consists of classes of even valuation. The unramified subgroup consists of the trivial class and the unique nonsquare class defining an unramified extension of degree two. For odd $p$, the two subgroups coincide with $\{1,u\}$ for a nonsquare unit $u$. For $p=2$, they are $\{1,-1,5,-5\}$ and $\{1,5\}$. Norms from an unramified quadratic local field extension have even valuation, and every unit is a norm. The norm characterization of the quadratic Hilbert symbol therefore gives both displayed annihilator identities. Over ${\mathbb{Q}}_2$, the unramified class is $5$ because $(1+\sqrt{5})/2$ satisfies $T^2-T-1$, whose reduction modulo two is irreducible and separable.

For nonzero $a,b$ in a number field, the product of their quadratic Hilbert symbols over all places is one. All but finitely many symbols are one. Over $\mathbb{Q}$, this is equivalent to quadratic reciprocity with its supplementary laws. It supplies the compatibility relation between the local invariants of a global quadratic form.