On the Jacobian conjecture in two variables (Q1101519)

The Jacobian conjecture in two variables says that if \(f\) and \(g\) are polynomials of a polynomial ring \(k[x,y]\) over a field \(k\) of characteristic zero and if the Jacobian \([f,g]:=f_ xg_ y-f_ yg_ x\) is a nonzero constant, then \(k[f,g]=k[x,y]\). This paper proves that the following conditions are equivalent: (i) The Jacobian conjecture is true; (ii) If \([f,g]\) is a nonzero constant and \(\deg(f):=m\), \(\deg(g):=n\) with \(\min \{m,n\}>1\), then there exists \(h\in k[x,y]\) such that \(f^*=ah^ m\) and \(g^*=bh^ n\) for some \(a,b\in k\setminus \{0\}\), where \(f^*\) and \(g^*\) denote the leading forms of \(f\) and \(g\); (iii) If \([f,g]\) is a nonzero constant with \(\min \{m,n\}>1\), the convex hulls of the supports of \(f\) and \(g\) are triangles; (iv) If \([f,g]\) is a nonzero constant, either \(m\) divides \(n\) or \(n\) divides \(m\); (v) If \([f,g]\) is a nonzero constant, either \(t_ x(f)\) divides \(t_ x(g)\) or \(t_ x(g)\) divides \(t_ x(f)\), where \(t_ x(f)\) denotes the greatest integer \(s\) such that the coefficient of \(x^ s\) in \(f\) is nonzero. The equivalences from (i) to (iv) have been already known, e.g. by \textit{S. Abhyankar} [Lectures on expansion techniques in algebraic geometry. Tata Inst. Fund. Res. 57, Bombay: Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (1987; Zbl 0818.14001)]. The proof here is based on some results of \textit{H. Appelgate} and \textit{H. Onishi} [J. Pure Appl. Algebra 37, 215--227 (1985; Zbl 0571.13005)], who have settled the Jacobian conjecture for the case when \(\deg(f)\) or \(\deg(g)\) has at most two prime factors. It also involves an investigation on \(k\)-automorphism of \(k[x,y].\)