Group algebras whose units satisfy a Laurent polynomial identity (Q667712): Difference between revisions

Everywhere in this paper $G$ is a torsion group and $KG$ be the group algebra of $G$ over a field $K$. Let $A$ be an algebra over a field $K$ and let $U(A)$ denote the group of the units of $A$. Let $K[X_1,X_2,\dots]$ be the algebra over $K$ of the polynomials with coefficients in $K$ in countably many non-commuting variables. A nonzero element $f\in K[X_1,X_2, \dots]$ is called a polynomial identity or a PI if $f(a_1, a_2,\dots) = 0$ for every $a_1, a_2,\dots \in A$. The algebra $A$ is called a PI or a PI algebra, if it has some non-zero polynomial over $K$ which is a PI for $A$. \par Let $K[X_1^{\pm},X_2^{\pm},\dots]$ be the $K$-algebra of Laurent polynomials with coefficients in $K$ in countably many non-commuting variables. \par A nonzero element $f$ of the $K$-algebra of the Laurent polynomials is called a Laurent polynomial identity (LPI, for short) if $f(u_1, u_2,\dots) = 0$ for every $u_1, u_2,\dots \in U(A)$. The authors say, that $U(A)$ satisfies a Laurent polynomial identity (LPI) if some non-zero Laurent polynomial is an LPI of $U(A)$. \par Let $KG$ be the group algebra of $G$ over a field $K$. \par In the 1980's Brian Hartley conjectured that if $U(KG)$ satisfies a group identity, then the group algebra $KG$ satisfies a polynomial identity [\textit{C.-H. Liu}, Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 127, No. 2, 327--336 (1999; Zbl 0915.16027)]. Several partial results of many authors confirm this conjecture. It was finally proved by Liu [loc. cit.]. \par Let $F=K[\alpha,\beta:{\alpha}^2={\beta}^2=0]$ be the relative free algebra in the non commuting variables $\alpha$ and $\beta$. \par The authors prove the following results. \par Theorem 1.1. If $U(KG)$ satisfies an LPI which is not an LPI of $U(F)$, then $KG$ satisfies a PI. \par Theorem 1.1 extends Hartley's conjecture. \par Theorem 1.2. If $U(KG)$ satisfies an LPI whose support has at most three elements, then $KG$ satisfies a PI. \par The authors introduce the following conventions. ``Let $g$ be a polynomial in one variable with coefficients in $K$. We say that a $K$-algebra $A$ has property $P_1$ with respect to $g$ if $g(ab) = 0$ for every $a, b \in A$, with $a^2 = 0 = b^2$. We say that a Laurent polynomial $f$ over $K$ has property $P$ if every $K$-algebra $A$, for which $f$ is an LPI of $U(A)$, has property $P_1$ with respect to some non-zero polynomial.'' \par In the paper, the following additional statements are proved. \par Theorem 1.5. If $U(KG)$ satisfies an LPI which has property $P$, then $KG$ satisfies a PI. \par Proposition 1.6. Every non-zero LPI of $U(F)$ has a support with at least four elements.