Centralizers in differential, pseudo-differential, and fractional differential operator rings (Q788798): Difference between revisions

In this partly expository paper, the size and structure of centralizers in three related types of formal linear differential operator rings are studied, all based on a commutative coefficient ring R and a derivation \(\delta\) on R. First is the ring \(S=R[\theta;\delta]\) of polynomials (differential operators) in an indeterminate \(\theta\) subject to the rule \(\theta r=r\theta +\delta(r)\) for all \(r\in R\). Second is the ring \(T = R((\theta^{-1};\delta))\) of Laurent series (pseudo-differential operators) in \(\theta^{-1}\) equipped with a natural ring multiplication extending that of S. (The general construction of T is discussed in detail.) Third, in case R is a field, is the division ring \(Q=R(\theta;\delta)\) of fractions of elements of S. In quite general circumstances, it is proved that the centralizer of an operator in S, T, or Q is commutative. For example, this holds for any operator whose order and leading coefficient are both non-zero-divisors in R, as shown following an 80-year-old method of \textit{I. Schur} [Sitzungsber. Berl. Math. Ges. 4, 2-8 (1905; JFM 36.0387.01)]. The sizes of centralizers in S, T and Q are investigated under the assumption that the subring \(F=\{r\in R| \quad \delta(r)=0\}\) of constants of R is a field. For instance, if R is semiprime, \(s\in S\) has positive order n, and the leading coefficient of s is invertible in R, then the centralizer of s in S is a free module of rank at most \(n^ 2\) over the polynomial ring F[s]; moreover, if n is invertible in F the rank of this centralizer is a divisor of n. The latter result is proved following a method introduced by \textit{S. A. Amitsur} [Pac. J. Math. 8, 1-10 (1958; Zbl 0218.12054)] and extended by \textit{R. Carlson} and the author [J. Differ. Equations 35, 339-365 (1980; Zbl 0406.34020)]. Similarly, if R is semiprime, \(t\in T\) has positive order n, and n and the leading coefficient of t are invertible in R, then the centralizer of t in T is a field extension of dimension dividing n over the Laurent series field \(F((t^{-1}))\). In the case that R is a field, the results for centralizers in Q are incomplete. For example, if \(q=s_ 1s_ 2^{-1}\) for some commuting operators \(s_ 1,s_ 2\in S\) with orders \(n_ 1,n_ 2\) such that \(n_ 1,n_ 2\), and \(n_ 1-n_ 2\) are all invertible in F, then the centralizer of q in Q is a field extension of dimension at most \(n_ 1+n_ 2-1\) over the rational function field F(q). However, if \(s_ 1\) and \(s_ 2\) do not commute, it is not known whether the centralizer of q in Q must be a finite-dimensional field extension of F(q).