A central closure construction for certain algebra extensions. Applications to Hopf actions. (Q1779476)

Let \(k\) be a commutative ring with unit, \(A\) be a \(k\)-algebra and consider the `multiplication algebra' of \(A\), i.e. the \(R\)-subalgebra \(M(A):=\langle L_a,R_a\mid a\in A\rangle\subseteq\text{End}_k(A)\), where \(L_a\) (resp. \(R_a)\) is the left (resp. right) multiplication with \(a\). The author studies mainly `\(k\)-algebra extensions \(A\subseteq B\) with additional module structure \(\varphi\)', i.e. a ring homomorphism \[ \varphi\colon B\to\text{End}_k(A)\text{ such that }\varphi(a):=L_a\text{ for all }a\in A. \] In particular \(A\) becomes a cyclic left \(B\)-module; and left \(B\)-submodules of \(A\) are called `\(B\)-stable' left \(A\)-ideals. The author gives several examples, where such extensions emerge including skew-group rings, rings of differential operators, Hopf algebra actions, etc. In the first section, the author defines for every left \(B\)-module \(M\) the submodule of \(B\)-invariants: \[ M^B:=\{m\in M\mid bm=[\varphi(b)(1_A)]m\text{ for all }b\in B\}. \] In Proposition 1.9. he proves that the functor \((-)^B\colon B\text{-Mod}\to A^B\text{-Mod}\) is exact if and only if \(_BA\) is projective if and only if there exists an idempotent \(e\in B\) with \(Be\simeq A\) as left \(B\)-modules and \(eBe\simeq A^B\) as rings. In the second section of the paper, the author restricts to a special kind of the extensions defined above, namely those for which \(M(A)\subseteq\text{Im}(\varphi)\) (so that every \(B\)-stable left ideal of \(A\) is already a two-sided ideal). He defines \(B\)-prime (\(B\)-semiprime) \(B\)-stable ideals of \(A\) in the obvious way and proves some results on them. For example, he shows in Proposition 2.3. that a \(B\)-stable ideal of \(A\) is \(B\)-semiprime if and only if it is the intersection of \(B\)-prime \(B\)-stable ideals. In the third and main section of the paper, the author extends \textit{R. Wisbauer}'s construction of the `extended centroid' and of the `central closure' of a semiprime algebra [Modules and algebras: bimodule structure and group actions on algebras (Pitman Monogr. Surv. Pure Appl. Math. 81) (1996; Zbl 0861.16001)] to the situation of an extension \(A\subseteq B\) with an additional module structure and \(M(A)\subseteq B\subseteq\text{End}_k(A)\). In this case, the author considers the `self-injective hull' \(\widehat A\) of \(_BA,\) i.e. the largest \(A\)-subgenerated \(B\)-submodule of the injective hull \(E({_BA})\). In case \(A\) is \(B\)-semiprime, the author shows in Theorem 3.1. that \(\widehat A^B\) has a structure of a commutative ring, called the `extended center' of \(A\) with respect to \(B\), which is self-injective and von Neumann regular with subring \(A^B\). In Theorem 3.2. he shows that \(\widehat A\) has a structure of a ring, called the `central closure' of \(A\) with respect to \(B\), with subring \(A\). Moreover, the author shows in Theorem 4.4. that in case \(A\) is \(B\)-semiprime, and when extra suitable conditions are satisfied, \(\widehat A\) can be identified as a subalgebra of the `Martindale quotient ring' of \(A\) with respect to \(B\). In the fifth section, the author gives some applications to Hopf algebra actions. In particular he gives in Theorem 5.5. some results on \(\widehat A\), the central closure of \(A\) with respect to \(B\), in case \(H\) is a Hopf \(k\)-algebra, \(A\) is an \(H\)-semiprime left \(H\)-module algebra and \(B:=(A\otimes_kA^{op})\#_vH\) is some smash product induced by a \(k\)-linear map \(v\colon B\otimes_kA\to A\otimes_kB\) satisfying suitable conditions. Such smash products were studied by \textit{S. Caenepeel, B. Ion, G. Militaru} and \textit{S. Zhu} [Algebr. Represent. Theory 3, No. 1, 19-42 (2000; Zbl 0957.16027)].