Group identities on units and symmetric units of group rings. (Q2638148)

The author undertakes the laborious task of expounding the great number of research results that have appeared since the middle of the nineties on the structure of unit groups of group algebras and of units of group algebras symmetric to the classical involution, a recent topic of study. Naturally, these newer results depend on many earlier ones, which, mostly, can be found in the classical books of \textit{D. S. Passman} [The algebraic structure of group rings. New York: John Wiley \& Sons (1977; Zbl 0368.16003)] and \textit{S. K. Sehgal} [Topics in group rings. New York-Basel: Marcel Dekker (1978; Zbl 0411.16004)], prerequisites to a deeper understanding of the arguments applied, although proofs of some of the earlier basic statements are included in the text. The likely reader, however, may not only be a specialist but a scholar whose research interests have connections with either group or ring theory, a wide range of studies. There are seven chapters and an appendix. The first chapter provides the proof of Hartley's conjecture: if the unit group satisfies a group identity then the group algebra satisfies a polynomial identity. Description of group algebras with unit groups satisfying a group identity and the converse problem of Hartley is considered in the positive characteristic case, and also under the presence of non-torsion with the assumption of Kaplansky's conjecture on the triviality of units for torsion-free groups. Chapter two deals with the same problem for the set of symmetric units. A description of group algebras with symmetric units satisfying a group identity is given when the field of coefficients is infinite or of odd characteristic. The problem in the remaining cases is still open. Certain group identities can be studied through the respective Lie-identities. Chapter three covers results on Lie-nilpotence, the Lie-Engel condition and Lie solvability of symmetric elements, each three *-polynomial identities. The respective problems for the whole group algebra are classical theorems. Chapter four, five and six discuss nilpotence, the Engel condition and solvability of the unit group and the set of symmetric units. Chapter seven comprises various theorems on various questions without proofs, such as results concerning units symmetric with respect to a non-classical involution. In the Appendix the proof of a result on a certain identity in a semiprime algebra with involution over an infinite field of characteristic different from 2 is provided. The extensive bibliography of items relating to topics discussed allows the curious reader to gain an even deeper insight to a specific question by consulting the literature.