A characterization of the Kostrikin radical of a Lie algebra (Q2428082)

A Lie algebra \(L\) over an arbitrary ring of scalars \(\Phi\) is said to be nondegenerate if it has no nonzero absolute zero divisors, i.e., elements \(x\) such that \([x, [x, L]]=0\). The smallest ideal of \(L\) yielding a nondegenerate quotient is called the Kostrikin radical \(K(L)\), introduced by Filippov and successfully used by Zelmanov. While for finite dimensional Lie algebras over a field of characteristic zero the Kostrikin radical coincides with the soluble radical, for characteristics \(p >0\) we can find simple finite dimensional Lie algebras which are degenerate. A Lie algebra is said to be strongly prime if it is prime (\([B,C]=0\) implies \(B=0\) or \(C=0\), for \(B, C\) ideals of \(L\)) and nondegenerate. A strongly prime ideal is an ideal \(P\) of \(L\) inducing a strongly prime quotient. A Lie algebra \(L\) containing a family of strongly prime ideals with zero intersection, i.e., \(L\) is a subdirect product of strongly prime Lie algebras, is clearly nondegenerate. In the paper under review the authors prove the converse of this result if any of the following conditions holds: (1) \(1/6 \in \Phi\), any \(\Phi\)-submodule of \(L\) which is invariant under inner automorphisms is an ideal and any nonzero ideal of \(L\) contains a nonzero Jordan element, i.e., an ad-nilpotent element of index \(\leq 3\), . (2) \(\Phi\) is a field of characteristic zero. (3) \(L\) comes from an associative ring \(R\) or from an associative ring with involution \((R, *)\). In these cases, the Kostrikin radical of \(L\) is related to the Baer radical of \(R\). (4) \(L\) satisfies the chain condition on annihilator ideals. Key tools to prove these results are the connection between Lie theory and Jordan theory, via the Jordan algebra attached to a Jordan element of a Lie algebra, and the properties of the generalized \(m\)-sequences introduced and studied by Zelmanov.