On the norm theorem for semisingular quadratic forms *

The aim of this paper is to prove some results concerning the norm theorem for semisingular quadratic forms, i.e., those which are neither nonsingular nor totally singular. More precisely, we will give necessary conditions in order that an irreducible polynomial, possibly in more than one variable, is a norm ofa semisingular quadratic form, and we prove that our conditions are sufficient if the polynomial is given by a quadratic form which represents 1. As a consequence, we extend the Cassels-Pflster subform theorem to the case of semisingular quadratic forms.