SOLVABLE CROSSED PRODUCT ALGEBRAS REVISITED

For any central simple algebra over a field F which contains a maximal subfield M with non-trivial automorphism group G = Aut(F)(M), G is solvable if and only if the algebra contains a finite chain of subalgebras which are generalized cyclic algebras over their centers (field extensions of F) satisfying certain conditions. These subalgebras are related to a normal subseries of G. A crossed product algebra F is hence solvable if and only if it can be constructed out of such a finite chain of subalgebras. This result was stated for division crossed product algebras by Petit and overlaps with a similar result by Albert which, however, was not explicitly stated in these terms. In particular, every solvable crossed product division algebra is a generalized cyclic algebra over F.