Zariski cancellation problem for noncommutative algebras (Q2362836): Difference between revisions

The noncommutative analogue of the Zariski cancellation problem is studied. This problem considers whether \(A[x]\cong B[x]\) implies that \(A\cong B\) when \(A\) and \(B\) are noncommutative algebras. An algebra \(A\) is called cancellative if the above implication holds for every algebra \(B\). This property is established for several classes of algebras. In particular, for every finitely generated algebra over an algebraically closed field of characteristic zero that is a noncommutative domain of Gelfand-Kirillov dimension two. One of the main tools used in this paper comes from the so-called Makar-Limanov invariant \(ML(A)\) of an algebra \(A\), defined as the intersection of kernels of all locally nilpotent derivations on \(A\). In particular, it is shown that finitely generated domains \(A\) of finite Gelfand-Kirillov dimension such that \(A=ML(A)\) (the latter property is referred to as LND-rigidity) are cancellative. In order to prove LND-rigidity of several classes of algebras the authors expand the so called discriminant method, developed recently in the study of the automorphism group of algebras by \textit{S. Ceken} et al. [Adv. Math. 269, 551--584 (2015; Zbl 1337.16032); ibid. Adv. Math. 286, 754--801 (2016; Zbl 1332.16030)]. As a consequence, cancellativity of some general classes of PI-algebras and of some concrete examples of Artin-Schelter regular algebras of Gelfand-Kirillov dimension exceeding two is also established. The paper contains a variety of related, interesting but rather technical, results and provides a rich discussion of the related problems and results obtained before.