On the nilpotency degree of the algebra with identity \(x^n=0\). (Q1952144)

Nil algebras of bounded index are objects of intensive study in structure and combinatorial ring theory, also for their applications to invariant theory of matrices, and other branches of algebra. The theorem of Levitzki gives that every algebra satisfying the polynomial identity \(x^n=0\) is locally nilpotent, i.e., its finitely generated subalgebras are nilpotent. If the base field \(\mathbb F\) is of characteristic \(p\), where \(p<n\) or \(p=0\), then by the theorem of Nagata-Higman the whole algebra is nilpotent. Let the field \(\mathbb F\) be infinite and let \(C_{n,d}\) be the nilpotency class of the \(d\)-generated relatively free algebra of the variety defined by the polynomial identity \(x^n=0\), \(n,d\geq 2\). The exact values of \(C_{n,d}\) are known for \(n=2\), \(n=3\), \(p\) any, and for \(n=4\), \(d=2\), \(p=0\). In the paper under review the author gives upper bounds for \(C_{n,d}\). If the characteristic \(p\) of \(\mathbb F\) is greater than \(n/2\), then \(C_{n,d}<n^{\log_2(3d+2)+1}\) and \(C_{n,d}<4\cdot 2^{\frac {n}{2}}d\). In the special case \(n=4\) the author closes the case \(p=0\) showing that \(C_{4,d}=10\) for all \(d\geq 2\) and gives quite precise estimates for \(p>0\), with deviation 3 for all \(d\). As an application, a finite generating set for the algebra \(R^{\text{GL}(n)}\) of \(\text{GL}(n)\)-invariants of \(d\) matrices of size \(n\times n\) is found in terms of \(C_{n,d}\). Several conjectures are formulated.