Analytic pro-\(p\) groups and their graded group rings (Q1313816)

Let \(G\) be a finitely generated pro-\(p\) group, and let \(\overline{G^ m}\) denote the closure of the subgroup generated by \(m\)th powers. \(G\) is called powerful if \(G' \leq \overline{G^ p}\) (\(p\) odd) or \(G' \leq \overline {G^ 4}\) (\(p = 2\)). \textit{M. Lazard} [Ann. Sci. École Norm. Supér., III. Sér. 71, 101-190 (1954; Zbl 0055.251)] has shown that \(G\) is \(p\)-adic analytic if and only if \(G\) possesses a powerful open subgroup. Let \(\gamma_ m(G)\) denote the \(m\)th term in the lower central series of \(G\). Let \(\Delta\) denote the augmentation ideal of \(KG\) where \(K\) is any field of characteristic 0, and consider the \(i\)th dimension subgroup \(D_ i(G) = G \cap (1 + \Delta^ i)\). In the present paper the author shows firstly that: \(\gamma_ m(G) \leq D_{m + 1}(G)\) implies \(D_ i(G)\) is powerful for all \(i \geq m\). Under the same hypotheses, he then obtains a bound on the rank of \(G\) depending only on \(m\), \(p\) and the number \(d(G)\) of generators of \(G\). In a second theorem the author shows that, if \(G\) has rank \(r\), then the graded group ring \(\text{gr} (KG) = \oplus \Delta^ i / \Delta^{i + 1}\) satisfies a nontrivial polynomial identity of degree \(p^ e\) with \(e = r \lceil \log_ 2(2r) \rceil\) (for \(p\) odd) and \(r \lceil \log_ 2 (2r + 1)\rceil\) (for \(p =2\)). Conversely, if a polynomial identity of degree \(n\) exists, then the rank of \(G\) is bounded by a specific function of \(n\), \(p\) and \(d(G)\). This second theorem is a quantified version of a result due to \textit{A. Shalev} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 337, No. 1, 451-462 (1993; Zbl 0797.16031)].