Group-graded rings satisfying the strong rank condition (Q2326447)

One says that a ring \(R\) satisfies \textit{the strong rank condition} (SRC) if for every natural number \(n\), the free \(R\)-submodules of \(R^n\) all have rank \(\leq n\). The paper under review studies the significance of SRC for the study of the property of amenability of groups. Let \(G\) be a group and \(R\) be a ring strongly graded by \(G\), such that the base ring \(R_1\) is a domain, where \(1\) is the identity element of \(G\). In the main result of the paper the authors prove that \(R\) satisfies the SRC if and only if \(R_1\) satisfies \(SRC\) and \(G\) is amenable, generalizing some results which were known for group rings. In the special case where \(R\) is the group ring, this result allows the authors to prove a characterization of amenability involving the group von Neumann algebra which was conjectured by \textit{W. Lück} [\(L^2\)-invariants: Theory and applications to geometry and \(K\)-theory. Berlin: Springer (2002; Zbl 1009.55001)], namely ``A group \(G\) is amenable if and only if, for each \(\mathbb{C}G\)-module \(M\) and each \(p \geq 1\), we have \(\dim_{\mathcal{N}(G)}\left(\mathrm{Tor}_p^{\mathbb{C}G}(M,\mathcal{N}(G))\right)=0\).'' Here, \(\mathcal{N}(G)\) denotes the group von Neumann algebra of the group \(G\). In addition, the authors include two other applications of the main result to the study of group rings and their modules.