AbstractLet p be an odd prime number, and let F be a field of characteristic not p and not containing the group μp of p-th roots of unity. We consider cyclic p-algebras over F by descent from L = F(μp). We generalize a theorem of Albert by showing that if μpn ⊆ L, then a division algebra D of degree pn over F is a cyclic algebra if and only if there is d ∈ D with dpn ∈ F – Fp. Let F(p) be the maximal p-extension of F. We show that F(p) has a noncyclic algebra of degree p if and only if a certain eigencomponent of the p-torsion of Br(F(p)(μp)) is nontrivial. To get a better understanding of F(p), we consider the valuations on F(p) with residue characteristic not p, and determine what residue fields and value groups can occur. Our results support the conjecture that the p torsion in Br(F(p)) is always trivial.
