Small profinite groups and rings (Q858721)

The paper considers profinite rings, i.e., inverse limits \(R\) of finite rings together with a closed subgroup \(\text{Aut}^*(R)\) of the group of automorphisms respecting the inverse system. \(R\) is called \textsl{small} if \(\text{Aut}^*(R)\) has only countably many orbits on \(n\)-tuples for every \(n < \omega\). Small profinite groups and structures were introduced by Ludomir Newelski, who also conjectured that a small profinite group has an open abelian subgroup. By the way, this was shown by the second author for a restricted class of small profinite groups called \(m\)-stable. Small profinite rings can support the study of small profinite groups, and indeed some positive answers to certain problems concerning rings might ensure a partial solution of Newelski's conjecture. For instance, the authors consider the following weak forms of Newelski's conjecture: (1) A small profinite group has an open nilpotent subgroup; (2) A small soluble profinite group has an open nilpotent subgroup. And then they relate them, respectively, to the following questions on rings: (\(1'\)) A small profinite ring has an open null ideal; (\(2'\)) A small profinite ring has an open nilpotent ideal. In particular they show that, if (\(2'\)) holds for commutative rings, then (2) follows. But their main results are a weak form of \((2')\), saying that a small profinite ring has an open nil ideal of finite nilexponent, and a proof of \((1')\) for \(m\)-stable small profinite rings. Finally, they discuss how to reduce the analysis of \((2')\) to certain particular cases, as well as other related questions on small profinite rings, and provide some examples illustrating them.