Polycyclic-by-finite group algebras are catenary (Q1574706)

Let \(P\subset P'\) be prime ideals of a ring \(R\). A chain of prime ideals \(P=P_0\subset P_1\subset\cdots\subset P_m=P'\) is said to be saturated if it can not be lengthened by the insertion of more prime ideals. A ring \(R\) is called catenary if for two arbitrary prime ideals \(P\) and \(P'\) with \(P\subset P'\), any two saturated chains of prime ideals between \(P\) and \(P'\) have the same length. It is well known that affine commutative algebras are catenary, so it is natural to ask which noncommutative Noetherian rings are catenary. By a relatively old result of P. Hall, group algebras \(kG\) of polycyclic-by-finite groups \(G\) over a field \(k\) are Noetherian. This gives one of the most interesting classes of noncommutative Noetherian rings. Prime ideals in \(kG\) have been deeply studied, however, despite of some very interesting positive results, it was an open question for approximately 20 years whether or not \(kG\) is catenary for polycyclic-by-finite groups \(G\) in general. In the paper under review the authors resolve this question completely, namely, using the so-called second layer theory, they prove that \(kG\) is catenary for arbitrary polycyclic-by-finite groups \(G\).