Decompositions of matrices over division algebras into products of commutators (Q2134563)

This is an important and nicely written paper. Let \(D\) be a division algebra of degree \(m\). The first aim of this paper is to show that if \(D\) is tame and totally ramified and if the center of \(D\) is Henselian, then there exists a positive \(d\) depending on \(m\) such that every element in the commutator subgroup \(D^*\) of the unit group \(D^* = D \setminus \{0\}\) is a product at most \(d\) commutators, which answers a problem of \textit{P. K. Draxl} [Skew fields. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (1983; Zbl 0498.16015), Problem 1, Page 102] for tame and totally ramified division algebras whose centers are Henselian. The second goal is to prove that if \(D\) is infinite and every element in \(D'\) is a product at most \(\alpha\) commutators in \(D^* \), then every matrix in the special linear group \(\mathrm{SL}_n(D)\) of degree \(n > 1\) is a product of at most \(2 + 6 \alpha\) commutators of involutions. We recommend [\textit{E. A. Egorchenkova} and \textit{N. L. Gordeev}, J. Math. Sci., New York 243, No. 4, 561--572 (2019; Zbl 1456.20055); translation from Zap. Nauchn. Semin. POMI 470, 88--104 (2018)] and [\textit{P. B. Gvozdevsky}, ``Commutator lengths in the general linear group over a division ring'', J. Math. Sci., New York 264, No. 1, 29--38 (2022; Zbl 1504.20050); translation from Zap. Nauchn. Semin. POMI 492, 45--60 (2020)] for additional reading regarding the subject. For similar question regarding Lie algebra width see [\textit{A. Dubouloz} et al., Doc. Math. 26, 1601--1627 (2021; Zbl 1491.17017)]. In [loc. cit.] the authors like in the paper under review also work with algebraic geometry questions arising from width. For word maps review see [\textit{N. L. Gordeev} et al., Russ. Math. Surv. 73, No. 5, 753--796 (2018; Zbl 1442.20028); translation from Usp. Mat. Nauk 73, No. 5, 3--52 (2018)], similar questions for rings are discussed in [the reviewer et al., SIGMA, Symmetry Integrability Geom. Methods Appl. 16, Paper 071, 61 p. (2020; Zbl 1459.16012)].