Mutations of Alternative Algebras

The primary concern in this chapter is to develop a structure theory for mutations of alternative algebras which is parallel to the structure theory for mutations of associative algebras. The framework which organizes this chapter is therefore very similar to that of Chapter II. Since a simple alternative algebra is either associative or a Cayley-Dickson algebra over its center (Theorem I.3.17), this chapter is in large devoted to the structure of mutations of Cayley-Dickson algebras.