Stably free modules over smooth affine threefolds (Q619691)

Let \(A\) be a Noetherian ring of dimension \(d\). A projective module \(P\) over \(A\) is called stably free if \(P\oplus F\) is free where \(F\) is a free module over \(A\). Under what conditions such a projective module is indeed free has been studied extensively. These are free if the rank of \(P\) is greater than \(d\) is a classical result by \textit{H. Bass} [Publ. Math., Inst. Hautes Étud. Sci. 22, 5--60 (1964; Zbl 0248.18025)]. It is easy to see that this is optimal. If the ring \(A\) is an affine algebra over an algebraically closed field, \textit{A.~A.~Suslin} proved that the same holds if the rank of the projective module is at least \(d\) [Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR 236, 808--811 (1977; Zbl 0395.13003)]. The reviewer showed that over such an algebra, in general, there exist stably free projective modules of rank \(d-2\) which are not free [Am. J. Math. 107, 1439--1444 (1985; Zbl 0594.13008)]. So, the only possibility that Suslin's theorem is not optimal is in the case of rank \(d-1\). If \(d=1,2\), it is easy to see that such modules are free. So, the first non-trivial case occurs when \(d=3\). In this paper, the author proves that if \(A\) is a smooth affine algebra of dimension three over an algebraically closed field of characteristic different from \(2,3\), then stably free projective modules of rank two are free. The reviewer believes that the author, possibly with others, has settled the case in all dimensions, though this may yet be unpublished.