Does there getting from $1$ to $\sqrt[4]{2}$ using $\sqrt{\alpha^2+ 1}$

Question

The aim is to get from $1$ to $\sqrt[4]{2}$ or prove it is impossible using only one of the following options:

1. Add or subtract two previously constructed numbers.
2. Multiply two previously constructed numbers.
3. Using a previously constructed number $\alpha$ construct both solutions to $\alpha^2+1=\beta^2$. I’ve managed to construct many numbers close to it, such as $\sqrt{4+2\sqrt{2}}$.
   I’m pretty sure it’s impossible but haven’t managed to prove it.
   Can any of you help?
   Edit 1: reciprocals
   We can construct all quadratic radicals and rational numbers.
   In this case, we are seaching for an extension of $\mathbb Q$ that is closed under (3), The constructible numbers are closed under this operation, but i think there is a subfield of the constructible numbers closed under it and containing $\mathbb Q$ as a subfield.

Answer 1

Alright, you should check your calculation again. If you really did construct $2^{1/4}$ you would immediately be able to construct $\sqrt{1 + \sqrt 2}.$ This is not possible: the quickest way to say it is that Hilbert's field is the set of totally real elements in the constructible field (closed under square roots of positive elements).

This is pages 145-148 in Geometry: Euclid and Beyond by Robin Hartshorne.

I repeated the first example search at https://doc.sagemath.org/html/en/reference/number_fields/sage/rings/number_field/totallyreal_rel.html

and got

jagy@phobeusjunior:~$ sage
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ SageMath Version 6.9, Release Date: 2015-10-10                     │
│ Type "notebook()" for the browser-based notebook interface.        │
│ Type "help()" for help.                                            │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
sage:  ZZx = ZZ['x']
sage:  F.<t> = NumberField(x^2-2)
sage: enumerate_totallyreal_fields_rel(F, 2, 10000)
[[1600, x^4 - 6*x^2 + 4, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 3*t - 3],
 [2048, x^4 - 4*x^2 + 2, xF^2 + t - 2],
 [2304, x^4 - 4*x^2 + 1, xF^2 + t*xF - 1],
 [2624, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 3*x^2 + 2*x + 1, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + t - 1],
 [4352, x^4 - 6*x^2 - 4*x + 2, xF^2 + t*xF + t - 2],
 [7168, x^4 - 6*x^2 + 7, xF^2 + t - 3],
 [7232, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 5*x^2 + 4*x + 4, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + t - 2],
 [8768, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 5*x^2 + 6*x + 7, xF^2 + xF + t - 3],
 [9792, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 7*x^2 + 2*x + 7, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 2*t - 3]]



sage: enumerate_totallyreal_fields_rel(F, 2, 100000)
[[1600, x^4 - 6*x^2 + 4, xF^2 + xF - 1],
 [2048, x^4 - 4*x^2 + 2, xF^2 + t - 10],
 [2304, x^4 - 4*x^2 + 1, xF^2 + t*xF - 1],
 [2624, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 3*x^2 + 2*x + 1, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + t - 1],
 [4352, x^4 - 6*x^2 - 4*x + 2, xF^2 + t*xF + t - 14],
 [7168, x^4 - 6*x^2 + 7, xF^2 + t - 3],
 [7232, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 5*x^2 + 4*x + 4, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + t - 2],
 [8768, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 5*x^2 + 6*x + 7, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 4*t - 5],
 [9792, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 7*x^2 + 2*x + 7, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 2*t - 3],
 [10304, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 7*x^2 + 8*x + 8, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 3*t - 4],
 [10816, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 9*x^2 + 10*x - 1, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 7*t - 9],
 [12544, x^4 - 8*x^2 + 9, xF^2 + t*xF - 3],
 [13888, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 7*x^2 + 6*x + 9, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + t - 3],
 [14336, x^4 - 8*x^2 + 14, xF^2 + t - 4],
 [16448, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 7*x^2 + 8*x + 14, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 6*t - 8],
 [18432, x^4 - 12*x^2 + 18, xF^2 + 3*t - 6],
 [18496, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 11*x^2 + 12*x + 2, xF^2 + xF - 4],
 [18688, x^4 - 10*x^2 - 4*x + 14, xF^2 + t*xF + t - 4],
 [20032, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 9*x^2 + 10*x + 17, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 5*t - 7],
 [21056, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 11*x^2 + 2*x + 17, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 3*t - 5],
 [21568, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 11*x^2 + 12*x + 18, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 4*t - 6],
 [22592, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 9*x^2 + 8*x + 16, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + t - 4],
 [22784, x^4 - 12*x^2 - 8*x + 17, xF^2 + t*xF + 2*t - 5],
 [23552, x^4 - 10*x^2 + 23, xF^2 + t - 5],
 [24832, x^4 - 14*x^2 - 12*x + 18, xF^2 + t*xF + 3*t - 6],
 [26176, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 9*x^2 + 10*x + 23, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 8*t - 11],
 [28224, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 13*x^2 + 14*x + 7, xF^2 + xF - 5],
 [29248, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 11*x^2 + 6*x + 23, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 2*t - 5],
 [30976, x^4 - 12*x^2 + 25, xF^2 + t*xF - 5],
 [31744, x^4 - 14*x^2 + 31, xF^2 + 3*t - 7],
 [31808, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 11*x^2 + 12*x + 28, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 7*t - 10],
 [33344, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 11*x^2 + 10*x + 25, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + t - 5],
 [34816, x^4 - 12*x^2 + 34, xF^2 + t - 6],
 [35392, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 13*x^2 + 14*x + 31, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 6*t - 9],
 [36416, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 15*x^2 + 2*x + 31, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 4*t - 7],
 [36928, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 15*x^2 + 16*x + 32, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 5*t - 8],
 [37952, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 11*x^2 + 12*x + 34, xF^2 + xF + t - 6],
 [41216, x^4 - 14*x^2 - 4*x + 34, xF^2 + t*xF + t - 6],
 [42048, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 13*x^2 + 8*x + 34, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 2*t - 6],
 [45632, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 13*x^2 + 14*x + 41, xF^2 + xF + 2*t - 7],
 [46144, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 13*x^2 + 12*x + 36, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + t - 6],
 [47104, x^4 - 16*x^2 + 46, xF^2 + 3*t - 8],
 [48128, x^4 - 14*x^2 + 47, xF^2 + t - 7],
 [48704, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 15*x^2 + 6*x + 41, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 3*t - 7],
 [49408, x^4 - 16*x^2 - 8*x + 41, xF^2 + t*xF + 2*t - 7],
 [51200, x^4 - 20*x^2 + 50, xF^2 + 5*t - 10],
 [51264, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 15*x^2 + 16*x + 46, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 8*t - 12],
 [51776, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 13*x^2 + 14*x + 47, xF^2 + xF + t - 7],
 [53312, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 17*x^2 + 4*x + 46, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 4*t - 8],
 [53824, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 17*x^2 + 18*x + 23, xF^2 + xF - 7],
 [54848, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 17*x^2 + 18*x + 49, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 7*t - 11],
 [55552, x^4 - 18*x^2 - 12*x + 46, xF^2 + t*xF + 3*t - 8],
 [55872, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 19*x^2 + 2*x + 49, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 5*t - 9],
 [56384, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 19*x^2 + 20*x + 50, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 6*t - 10],
 [56896, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 15*x^2 + 10*x + 47, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 2*t - 7],
 [57600, x^4 - 16*x^2 + 49, xF^2 + t*xF - 7],
 [59648, x^4 - 20*x^2 - 16*x + 49, xF^2 + t*xF + 4*t - 9],
 [60992, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 15*x^2 + 14*x + 49, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + t - 7],
 [61696, x^4 - 22*x^2 - 20*x + 50, xF^2 + t*xF + 5*t - 10],
 [63488, x^4 - 16*x^2 + 62, xF^2 + t - 8],
 [64512, x^4 - 18*x^2 + 63, xF^2 + 3*t - 9],
 [65600, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 17*x^2 + 8*x + 56, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 3*t - 8],
 [67648, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 15*x^2 + 16*x + 62, xF^2 + xF + t - 8],
 [69184, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 17*x^2 + 18*x + 63, xF^2 + xF + 3*t - 9],
 [69696, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 19*x^2 + 20*x + 34, xF^2 + xF - 8],
 [71936, x^4 - 18*x^2 - 4*x + 62, xF^2 + t*xF + t - 8],
 [72256, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 19*x^2 + 6*x + 63, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 4*t - 9],
 [72704, x^4 - 22*x^2 + 71, xF^2 + 5*t - 11],
 [73792, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 17*x^2 + 12*x + 62, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 2*t - 8],
 [74816, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 19*x^2 + 20*x + 68, xF^2 + xF + 4*t - 10],
 [76864, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 21*x^2 + 4*x + 68, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 5*t - 10],
 [77888, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 17*x^2 + 16*x + 64, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + t - 8],
 [79424, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 23*x^2 + 2*x + 71, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 6*t - 11],
 [79424, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 17*x^2 + 18*x + 73, xF^2 + xF + 2*t - 9],
 [79936, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 23*x^2 + 24*x + 72, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 7*t - 12],
 [80896, x^4 - 18*x^2 + 79, xF^2 + t - 9],
 [83968, x^4 - 20*x^2 + 82, xF^2 + 3*t - 10],
 [84224, x^4 - 20*x^2 - 8*x + 73, xF^2 + t*xF + 2*t - 9],
 [84544, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 19*x^2 + 10*x + 73, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 3*t - 9],
 [85568, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 17*x^2 + 18*x + 79, xF^2 + xF + t - 9],
 [87616, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 21*x^2 + 22*x + 47, xF^2 + xF - 9],
 [89152, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 19*x^2 + 20*x + 82, xF^2 + xF + 3*t - 10],
 [92416, x^4 - 20*x^2 + 81, xF^2 + t*xF - 9],
 [92736, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 19*x^2 + 14*x + 79, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 2*t - 9],
 [93248, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 21*x^2 + 8*x + 82, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 4*t - 10],
 [94464, x^4 - 22*x^2 - 12*x + 82, xF^2 + t*xF + 3*t - 10],
 [96256, x^4 - 24*x^2 + 94, xF^2 + 5*t - 12],
 [96832, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 19*x^2 + 18*x + 81, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + t - 9],
 [96832, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 21*x^2 + 22*x + 89, xF^2 + xF + 4*t - 11],
 [99392, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 19*x^2 + 20*x + 92, xF^2 + xF + 2*t - 10],
 [99904, x^4 - 2*x^3 - 23*x^2 + 6*x + 89, xF^2 + (t + 1)*xF + 5*t - 11]]
sage: