Finitely generated P.I. rings of global dimension two (Q1337442)

The effects of low global dimension on a semiprime noetherian ring \(R\) satisfying a polynomial identity are investigated. The main theorem states that if \(\text{gl.dim }R \leq 2\) and \(R\) is finitely generated over a central subring, then the center \(Z(R)\) is noetherian and \(R\) is a finitely generated module over \(Z(R)\). However, without the finite generation assumption, \(R\) need not even be integral over \(Z(R)\). This theorem should be compared with the result of \textit{J. C. Robson} and \textit{L. W. Small} that if \(\text{gl.dim }R \leq 1\) and \(R\) is prime (but no finite generation hypothesis), then \(Z(R)\) is a Dedekind domain and \(R\) is a finitely generated \(Z(R)\)-module [J. Lond. Math. Soc., II. Ser. 8, 499-503 (1974; Zbl 0286.16003)]. The authors go on to study the case when \(R\) is prime and affine over a central subfield, with Krull and global dimension 2. They show that in this case \(Z(R)\) need not be either integrally closed or Cohen-Macaulay, but that it must be a Krull domain. Finally, analogous results in higher dimensions are ruled out by the construction of a prime, noetherian, affine P.I. ring \(R\) with Krull and global dimension 3 such that \(R\) is not a finitely generated \(Z(R)\)- module.