Group-graded algebras with polynomial identity

LetG be a finite group and letR=Σ _g∈G R _g be any associative algebra over a field such that the subspacesR _g satisfyR _g R _h ⊆R _gh . We prove that ifR ₁ satisfies a PI of degreed, thenR satisfies a PI of degree bounded by an explicit function ofd and the order ofG. This result implies the following: ifH is a finite-dimensional semisimple commutative Hopfalgebra andR is anyH-module algebra withR ^H satisfying a PI of degreed, thenR satisfies a PI of degree bounded by an explicit function ofd and the dimension ofH.     

Identities in rings with involutions

A ringR with an involutiona →a* which satisfies a polynomial identityp[x ₁,…,x _d ;x*₁, …,x* _d ]=0 satisfies- an identity which does not include thex*. This generalizes the result of [1] where the symmetric elements ofR were assumed to satisfy an identity.     

Minimal differential identities in prime rings

It is known that a prime ring which satisfies a polynomial identity with derivations applied to the variables must satisfy a generalized polynomial identity, but not necessarily a polynomial identity. In this paper we determine the minimal identity with derivations which can be satisfied by a non-PI prime ringR. The main result shows, essentially, that this identity is the standard identityS ₃ withD applied to each variable, whereD = ad(y) fory inR, y ² = 0, andy of rank one in the central closure ofR.     

On subgroups containing non-trivial normal subgroups

We prove that ifA≠1 is a subgroup of a finite groupG and the order of an element in the centralizer ofA inG is strictly larger (larger or equal) than the index [G:A], thenA contains a non-trivial characteristic (normal) subgroup ofG. Consequently, ifA is a stabilizer in a transitive permutation group of degreem>1, thenexp(Z(A))<m. These theorems generalize some recent results of Isaacs and the authors.     

Finite dimensional representations and subgroup actions on homogeneous spaces

LetH be an ℝ-subgroup of a ℚ-algebraic groupG. We study the connection between the dynamics of the subgroup action ofH onG/G _ℤ and the representation-theoretic properties ofH being observable and epimorphic inG. We show that ifH is a ℚ-subgroup thenH is observable inG if and only if a certainH orbit is closed inG/G _ℤ; that ifH is epimorphic inG then the action ofH onG/G _ℤ is minimal, and that the converse holds whenH is a ℚ-subgroup ofG; and that ifH is a ℚ-subgroup ofG then the closure of the orbit underH of the identity coset image inG/G _ℤ is the orbit of the same point under the observable envelope ofH inG. Thus in subgroup actions on homogeneous spaces, closures of ‘rational orbits’ (orbits in which everything which can be defined over ℚ, is defined over ℚ) are always submanifolds.     

Hyperidentities of lattices and semilattices

Following W. Taylor we define a hyperidentity ∈ to be formally the same as an identity (e.g.,F(G(x, y, z), G(x, y, z))=G(x, y, z)). However, a varietyV is said to satisfy a hyperidentity ∈, if whenever the operation symbols of ∈ are replaced by any choice of polynomials (appropriate forV) of the same arity as the corresponding operation symbols of ∈, then the resulting identity holds inV in the usual sense. For example, if a varietyV of type <2,2> with operation symbols ∨ and ∧ satisfies the hyperidentity given above, then substituting the polynomial (x∨y)∨z for the symbolG, and the polynomialx∧y forF, we see thatV must in particular satisfy the identity ((x∨y)∨z)∧((x∨y)∨z)=((x∨y)∨z). The set of all hyperidentities satisfied by a varietyV, will be denoted byH(V). We shall letH ^m (V) be the set of all hyperidentities hoiding inV with operation symbols of arity at mostm, andH _n (V) will denote the set of all hyperidentities ofV with at mostn distinct variables. In this paper we shall show that ifV is a nontrivial variety of lattices or the variety of all semilattices, then for any integersm andn, there exists a hyperidentity ∈ such that ∈ holds inV, and ∈ is not a consequence ofH ^m (V)∪H _n (V). From this it is deduced that the hyperidentities ofV are not finitely based, partly soling a problem of Taylor [7, Problem 3]. The research of the author was supported by NSERC of Canada. Presented by W. Taylor.     

On a class of transitive permutation groups of prime degreep=4n+1

SupposeG is a nonsolvable transitive permutation group of prime degreep, such that |N _G v(P)|=p(p−1) for some Sylowp-subgroupP ofG. Letq be a generator of the subgroup ofN _G (P), fixing one letter (it is easy to show that this subgroup is cyclic). Assume thatG contains an elementj such thatj ⁻¹ qj=q ^(p+1)/2. We shall prove that for almost all primesp of the formp=4n+1, a group that satisfies the above conditions must be the symmetric group on a set withp elements.     

The additive subgroup generated by a polynomial

SupposeR is a prime ring with the centerZ and the extended centroidC. Letp(x ₁, …,x _n) be a polynomial overC in noncommuting variablesx ₁, …,x _n. LetI be a nonzero ideal ofR andA be the additive subgroup ofRC generated by {p(a ₁, …,a _n):a ₁, …,a _n ∈I}. Then eitherp(x ₁, …,x _n) is central valued orA contains a noncentral Lie ideal ofR except in the only one case whereR is the ring of all 2 × 2 matrices over GF(2), the integers mod 2.     

Jacobson rings and rings strongly graded by an abelian group

LetR be ring strongly graded by an abelian groupG of finite torsion-free rank. Lete be the identity ofG, andR _e the component of degreee ofR. AssumeR _e is a Jacobson ring. We prove that graded subrings ofR are again Jacobson rings if eitherR _e is a left Noetherian ring orR is a group ring. In particular we generalise Goldie and Michlers’s result on Jacobson polycyclic group rings, and Gilmer’s result on Jacobson commutative semigroup rings of finite torsion-free rank.     

Elements of reduced trace 0

Every elementr of reduced trace 0 in a simple finite dimensional algebraR is a sum of at most 2 commutators. IfR innot a division ring thenr is a commutator, unlessr is a scalar (in which case char(R)≠0). The method of proof provides a generic division algebra of transcendence degreen ²−1.     

Power closure and the Engel condition

A Liep-algebraL is calledn-power closed if, in every section ofL, any sum ofp ⁱ⁺ⁿ th powers is ap ⁱ th power (i>0). It is easy to see that ifL isp ⁿ -Engel then it isn-power closed. We establish a partial converse to this statement: ifL is residually nilpotent andn-power closed for somen≥0 thenL is (3p ^{n +2} +1)-Engel ifp>2 and (3 · 2 ⁿ⁺³+1)-Engel ifp=2. In particular, thenL is locally nilpotent by a theorem of Zel’manov. We deduce that a finitely generated pro-p group is a Lie group over thep-adic field if and only if its associated Liep-algebra isn-power closed for somen. We also deduce that any associative algebraR generated by nilpotent elements satisfies an identity of the form (x+y) ^{p n} =x ^{p n} +y ^{p n} for somen≥1 if and only ifR satisfies the Engel condition. This project was supported by the CNR in Italy and NSF-EPSCoR in Alabama during the first author’s stay at the Università di Palermo.     

The computations of some Schur indices

Let χ be an irreducible character of a finite groupG. Letp=∞ or a prime. Letm _p (χ) denote the Schur index of χ overQ _p , the completion ofQ atp. It is shown that ifx is ap′-element ofG such that for all irreducible charactersX _u ofG thenm _p (χ)/vbχ(x). This result provides an effective tool in computing Schur indices of characters ofG from a knowledge of the character table ofG. For instance, one can read off Benard’s Theorem which states that every irreducible character of the Weyl groupsW(E _n), n=6,7,8 is afforded by a rational representation. Several other applications are given including a complete list of all local Schur indices of all irreducible characters of all sporadic simple groups and their covering groups (there is still an open question concerning one character of the double cover of Suz). This work was partly supported by NSF Grant MCS-8201333.     

Isoperimetric inequalities on minimal submanifolds of space forms

For a domainU on a certaink-dimensional minimal submanifold ofS ⁿ orH ⁿ, we introduce a “modified volume”M(U) ofU and obtain an optimal isoperimetric inequality forU k ^k ω _k M (D) ^k-1 ≤Vol(∂D) ^k , where ω _k is the volume of the unit ball ofR ^k . Also, we prove that ifD is any domain on a minimal surface inS ₊ ⁿ (orH ⁿ, respectively), thenD satisfies an isoperimetric inequality2π A≤L ²+A² (2π A≤L²−A² respectively). Moreover, we show that ifU is ak-dimensional minimal submanifold ofH ⁿ, then(k−1) Vol(U)≤Vol(∂U). Supported in part by KME and GARC     

On the characteristic polynomial of supermatrices

We prove that the coefficients of the so-called right 2-characteristic polynomial of a supermatrix over a Grassmann algebraG=G ₀⊕G ₁ are in the even componentG ₀ ofG. As a consequence, we obtain that the algebra ofn×n supermatrices is integral of degreen ² overG ₀. Partially supported by OTKA of Hungary, grant no. T16432.     

Universal non-compact operators between super-reflexive Banach spaces and the existence of a complemented copy of Hilbert space

Suppose that 1<p≦2, 2≦q<∞. The formal identity operatorI:l _p→l _qfactorizes through any given non-compact operator from ap-smooth Banach space into aq-convex Banach space. It follows that ifX is a 2-convex space andY is an infinite dimensional subspace ofX which is isomorphic to a Hilbert space, thenY contains an isomorphic copy ofl ₂ which is complemented inX.     

Symmetric units and group identities

In this paper we study rings R with an involution whose symmetric units satisfy a group identity. An important example is given by FG, the group algebra of a group G over a field F; in fact FG has a natural involution induced by setting g?g ⁻¹ for all group elements g∈G. In case of group algebras if F is infinite, charF≠ 2 and G is a torsion group we give a characterization by proving the following: the symmetric units satisfy a group identity if and only if either the group of units satisfies a group identity (and a characterization is known in this case) or char F=p >0 and 1) FG satisfies a polynomial identity, 2) the p-elements of G form a (normal) subgroup P of G and G/P is a Hamiltonian 2-group; 3) G is of bounded exponent 4p ^s for some s≥ 0. Received: 8 August 1997     

Asymptotic behaviour of trajectories of unipotent flows on homogeneous spaces

We show that ifG is a semisimple algebraic group defined overQ and Γ is an arithmetic lattice inG:=G _R with respect to theQ-structure, then there exists a compact subsetC ofG/Γ such that, for any unipotent one-parameter subgroup {u _t} ofG and anyg∈G, the time spent inC by the {u _t}-trajectory ofgΓ, during the time interval [0,T], is asymptotic toT, unless {g ⁻¹u_tg} is contained in aQ-parabolic subgroup ofG. Some quantitative versions of this are also proved. The results strengthen similar assertions forSL(n,Z),n≥2, proved earlier in [5] and also enable verification of a technical condition introduced in [7] for lattices inSL(3,R), which was used in our proof of Raghunathan’s conjecture for a class of unipotent flows, in [8].     

Variations on polynomial subgroup growth

A groupG hasweak polynomial subgroup growth (wPSG) of degree ≤α if each finite quotient Ḡ ofG contains at most │Ḡ│ ^a subgroups. The main result is that wPSG of degree α implies polynomial subgroup growth (PSG) of degree at mostf(α). It follows that wPSG is equivalent to PSG. A corollary is that if, in a profinite groupG, thek-generator subgroups have positive “density” δ, thenG is finitely generated (the number of generators being bounded by a function ofk and δ).     

Semiprime Goldie centralizers

LetG be a finite group of automorphisms acting on a ringR, andR ^G={fixed points ofG}. We show that under certain conditions onR andG, whenR ^Gis semiprime Goldie then so isR. In particular, ifa∈R is invertible anda ⁿ∈Z(R), thenR ^G,withG generated by the inner automorphism determined bya, is the centralizer ofa—C _R(a). The above result withR ^Greplaced byC _R(a) is shown without the assumption thata is invertible.     

A note on transitive permutation groups of prime degree

LetG be a nonsolvable transitive permutation group of prime degreep. LetP be a Sylow-p-subgroup ofG and letq be a generator of the subgroup ofN _G(P) fixing one point. Assume that |N _G(P)|=p(p?1) and that there exists an elementj inG such thatj ^?1qj=q^(p+1)/2. We shall prove that a group that satisfies the above condition must be the symmetric group onp points, andp is of the form 4n+1.