A train algebra that is not special triangular (Q1821189): Difference between revisions

Two important classes of nonassociative algebras arising in population genetics are the train algebras and the special triangular (or Gonshor) algebras. Every special triangular algebra is train. The question of whether there exist commutative train algebras (over a field of characterization 0) that are not special triangular was open for 40 years before V. M. Abraham constructed a 6 dimensional example with 3 generators. He also showed that every train algebra of dimension \(\leq 4\) is special triangular. I showed later that every train algebra with a single generator is special triangular. The example of the present paper fills two gaps in that it is of dimension 5 and has 2 generators. Abraham's example worked because it contains an ideal of codimension 1 which is nil but not nilopotent. The present case also shows that that property is not a necessary feature of a train, but non special triangular, algebra.