Growth for algebras satisfying polynomial identities. (Q1929887)

The present paper is a survey on the most important results in the combinatorial theory of algebras with polynomial identities. The author is a researcher with major contributions to the area. The paper starts with recalling parts of the structure theory of T-ideals such as the classification of the verbally prime algebras, standard and Capelli polynomials. One of the most important numerical invariants of a PI algebra \(A\) is its codimension sequence \(c_n(A)\). A celebrated result obtained by the author of the paper under review states that if \(A\) is PI then its codimension sequence is exponentially bounded; as a consequence it is obtained that the class of PI algebras is closed under tensor products. The cocharacters of a PI algebra give a more detailed information about its identities. The author recalls the known results concerning the cocharacter and codimension sequences of important PI algebras. It is quite difficult to deal with the codimensions even of the \(3\times 3\) matrices; it is highly unlikely that one might find their exact values. Instead one studies their asymptotic behaviour. This is described quite precisely not only for \(k\times k\) matrices but also for the other verbally prime algebras, and also for identities with traces. The author goes on with a discussion of the theorem of Giambruno and Zaicev about the PI exponent of a PI algebra \(A\). Recall that the limit (if it exists) \(\exp(A)=\lim_{n\to\infty}c_n(A)^{1/n}\) is the PI exponent of \(A\). The theorem states that if \(A\) is a PI algebra over a field of characteristic 0 then \(\exp(A)\) exists and is an integer. Later on Berele showed that for any unitary PI algebra \(A\), \(c_n(A)\sim an^th^n\) for some positive integer \(h\), and \(t\) is an integer or half an integer. Generating functions for the codimension sequences are discussed as well. Recent results concerning the codimensions of nonassociative algebras are given, too. The paper comes with an extensive list of bibliographic references: some 68 titles. Without any doubt the paper will be of interest for researchers in the area.