A characterization of Hermitian function fields over finite fields.
The aim of this note is to offer a summary of the definitions and properties of arithmetic symbols on the linear group Gl(n, F) -F being an arbitrary discrete valuation field- and to show that the natural generalizations of the Parshin symbol on an algebraic surface S to the linear group Gl(n, ΣS) do not allow us to define new 2-dimensional symbols on S.[Proceedings of the Primeras Jornadas de Teoría de Números (Vilanova i la Geltrú (Barcelona), 30 June - 2 July 2005)].