Circle composition and radical of multiplicative polynomial laws (Q1825933)

A new approach to the divided powers algebra of an algebra is introduced here and applied to gain insight into a radical theory developed afterwards. We start with an R-algebra A and regard the circle composition as a polynomial law from \(A\oplus A\) to A. As the divided powers algebra \(\Gamma\) (A) of the R-module A is universal for polynomial laws on A and \(\Gamma\) (A\(\oplus A)\cong \Gamma (A)\otimes \Gamma (A)\), the circle composition extends to give a second multipliation ``\(\circ ''\) on all of \(\Gamma\) (A). Now we have an R-module isomorphism Sh: \(\Gamma\) (A)\(\to {\hat \Gamma}(A)\) onto the divided powers algebra \({\hat \Gamma}\)(A) of the R-algebra A, as defined by the author [Commun. Algebra 14, 49-108 (1986; Zbl 0593.16031)]. We find that Sh is in fact an R- algebra isomorphism from \((\Gamma (A),+,\circ)\) onto (\({\hat \Gamma}\)(A),\(+,\tau)\). There is a well-known connection between circle composition and the Jacobson radical of a ring. Here we develop a radical theory for multiplicative polynomial laws. (For them \({\hat \Gamma}\)(A) is universal!) We use \({\hat \phi}\)-regular elements and -ideals to derive similar characterizations for this radical as those known for the Jacobson radical.