Free algebras in division rings with an involution (Q1643191)

It has been conjectured by Makar-Limanov that an associative division ring which is infinite dimensional over its centre \(k\) and is finitely-generated as a division algebra over \(k\) must contain a noncommutative free \(k\)-subalgebra. The conjecture has been proved by \textit{L. Makar-Limanov} himself in the case where \(D\) is the field of fractions over the Weyl algebra over the field \(\mathbb Q\) of rational numbers [Commun. Algebra 11, 2003--2006 (1983; Zbl 0521.16015)] as well as in the case of the division ring of fractions of a group algebra of a torsion-free nonabelian nilpotent group (see [\textit{L. Makar-Limanov}, Isr. J. Math. 48, 244--248 (1984; Zbl 0556.16006)]). The conjecture makes interest both by itself and together with other conjectures predicting the existence of free objects in division rings belonging to various special classes. Specifically, the need for a suitably modified version of Makar-Limanov's conjecture for division \(k\)-algebras with involution has been clarified after the survey by \textit{M. Shirvani} and the third-named author [Commun. Algebra 40, No. 5, 1704--1723 (2012; Zbl 1259.16017)]. As usual, by an involution, we mean a \(k\)-linear map \(\ast : D \to D\) satisfying \((ab) ^ {\ast } = b ^ {\ast }a ^ {\ast }\) and \(a ^ {\ast \ast } = a\), for all \(a, b \in D\). An element \(d \in D\) is called symmetric with respect to \(\ast \) if \(d ^ {\ast } = d\). \par The paper under review presents explicit constructions of pairs of elements in the division ring of fractions of some Ore domains which both generate a free subalgebra and are symmetric with respect to an involution extending an involution on the ring. This has been done in a paper by \textit{J. Sánchez}, the first and the third-named authors [J. Algebra 392, 69--84 (2013; Zbl 1311.16014)] for the division ring of fractions, inside the division ring of Malcev-Neumann series, of the group algebra of a nonabelian orderable group \(G\) with respect to an involution induced by the canonical (inverting) involution on \(G\). This paper presents proofs to further instances of the same situation, which can be regarded as involutional versions of Makar-Limanov's early results. Firstly, it proves that if \(D\) is the division ring of fractions of the group algebra \(k(\Gamma )\) of the Heisenberg group \(\Gamma \) over the field \(k\), and \(\ast \) is a \(k\)-involution of \(D\) which is induced from an involution on \(\Gamma \), then \(D\) contains a free \(k\)-algebra of rank \(2\) freely generated by symmetric elements. The Heisenberg group is defined as the free nilpotent group of class \(2\) generated by \(2\) elements; it can be presented by \(\Gamma = \langle x, y\colon [[x, y], x] = [[x, y], y] = 1\rangle \), where \([g, h]\) is the commutator \(g ^ {-1}h ^ {-1}\) of elements \(g, h\) of a multiplicatively written group. Secondly, the paper shows that if \(A _ 1 = \mathbb Q \langle s, t \colon st - ts = 1\rangle \) is the first Weyl algebra over the field \(\mathbb Q\) of rational numbers, and if \(\ast \) denotes the \(\mathbb Q\)-involution of \(A _ 1\) such that \(s ^ {\ast } = -s\) and \(t ^ {\ast } = t\), then the division ring of fractions \(D _ 1\) of \(A _ 1\) contains a free \(\mathbb Q\)-subalgebra of rank \(2\) freely generated by symmetric elements with respect to the extension of \(\ast \) to \(D _1\). It is also proved that if \(F\) is a field, \(K = F(X _ 1, \dots , X _ n)\) is the rational function field in \(n\) indeterminates over \(F\), and \(\sigma \) is an \(F\)-automorphism of \(K\) of infinite order that extends an automorphism of the polynomial algebra \(F[X _ 1, \dots , X _ n]\), then the division algebra \(K(X; \sigma )\) contains a noncommutative free \(F\)-subalgebra.