A note on the support of units in group rings (Q1105006)

This note gives an interesting contribution to the semisimplicity of group rings over characteristic zero. Given the group ring \(kG\), consider the following property: (U) to each finite subset of \(G\), \(X\), corresponds a finite subset, \(Y\), such that, if \(u\) is a unit of \(kG\) with support in \(X\), then \(u^{-1}\) has support in \(Y\). It is shown that, when \(k\) is a field of characteristic zero, (U) implies that \(kG\) is semisimple. If \(G\) is locally finite or if \(G\) is abelian then \(kG\) satisfies (U). It is also shown, using ultraproducts, that (U) is equivalent to the apparently weaker \(condition\) \((U^-)\) to each finite subset of \(G\), \(X\), corresponds a natural number, \(y\), such that, if \(u\) is a unit of \(kG\) with support in \(X\), then the cardinality of the support of \(u^{-1}\) is less than or equal to \(y\). The proof of the main result rests on a theorem of \textit{S. A. Amitsur} [see: Bull. Res. Council Israel, Sect. F 7, 1--10 (1957; Zbl 0085.02201), theorem II], or \textit{D. S. Passman} [The algebraic structure of group rings. New York etc.: John Wiley (1977; Zbl 0368.16003), p. 283] which leads to the conclusion that, if \(T\) is an indeterminate, the Jacobson radical of \(k\) determining indecomposable modules in the category \(SP(R)\) of finitely generated socle projective modules over a right peak ring. This is useful because (i) for a wide class of Artinian rings \(A\), a certain residue category of the category of all modules is isomorphic to \(SP(A)\) and (ii) the classification of indecomposable modules in the subspace category of a vector space category is equivalent to the classification of indecomposables in \(SP(R)\) for some right peak ring \(R\). The methods of the paper are based on a generalization of differentiation procedures for partially ordered sets (Nazarova-Roiter, Zavadskii) to right peak rings. [See the author, (i) J. Algebra 92, 532--571 (1985; Zbl 0558.16016); (ii) J. Algebra 103, 18--68 (1986; Zbl 0599.16014); (iii) Carleton Ottawa Math. Lect. Note Ser. 2, 31.01--31.20 (1984; Zbl 0582.16013).]