On Stafford-Smith's problem of ring of differential operators over curves (Q1902260)

Let \(X\) be an affine algebraic curve over an algebraically closed field of characteristic zero, let \({\mathcal O} (X)\) be the ring of regular functions on \(X\), \({\mathcal D} (X)\) the ring of differential operators on \(X\) and \(H(X)\) the induced Artin algebra. The authors give examples showing that \(H(X)\) has infinite global dimension, hence \({\mathcal D} (X)\) has infinite global dimension. This gives a positive answer to a question posed by \textit{S. P. Smith} and \textit{J. I. Stafford} [Proc. Lond. Math. Soc., III. Ser. 56, No. 2, 229-259 (1988; Zbl 0672.14017)] and a negative answer to a question posed by \textit{K. A. Brown} [Math. Z. 206, No. 3, 423-442 (1991; Zbl 0731.14020)]. Moreover, the authors give an example of a finite-dimensional \(k\)-algebra \(A\) such that there exists no affine irreducible curve \(X\) with \(H(X)=A\), thus answering in the negative a question posed by Smith and Stafford [loc. cit.].