Let p3-be an odd prime integer and % O be the Galois field with q"pJ elements. Let Q"y!xz3% O [x, y, z], which is a nondegenerate quadratic form, and denote by O(3, % O ) the corresponding orthogonal group. The purpose of this note is to give a new proof of a theorem of S. D. Cohen on the structure ofThe novelty of our proof lies in the description of the generators in terms of the geometry of ovals in % O /(2) and Steenrod operations.
Academic PressKey ¼ords: polynomial invariants of finite groups; invariants of finite orthogonal groups; Steenrod operations; ovals; Segre's theorem on ovals.Let p3-be an add prime integer and % O be the Galois field with q"pJ] is a nondegenerate quadratic form then, up to linear change of coordinates, Q is given by one of the following standard forms