Codimensions of algebras and growth functions (Q2469879)

It is known that the exponent of a variety \(V\) of associative algebras over a field of characteristic zero exists, moreover it is always an integer [\textit{A. Giambruno} and \textit{M. Zaicev}, Adv. Math. 142, No. 2, 221--243 (1999; Zbl 0920.16013)]. Namely, let \(c_n(V)\), \(n=1,2,\dots\), be the codimension sequence of a variety \(V\). Then the limit \(\lim_{n\to\infty}\root n\of{c_n(V)}\) exists and is an integer. For varieties of Lie algebras the exponent of growth can be fractional [\textit{M. V. Zaicev} and \textit{S. P. Mishchenko}, J. Math. Sci., New York 93, No. 6, 977--982 (1999; Zbl 0933.17004)]. But this is only one example and a description of all possible values of the exponents poses a very difficult problem. Now the authors study identical relations in the variety of absolutely free algebras, i.e. the algebras with a bilinear operation and no identical relations are imposed. Let \(A\) be an algebra over a field of characteristic zero and let \(c_n(A)\), \(n = 1,2,\dots\), be its sequence of codimensions. The authors consider an exponential growth of codimensions. As a main result they prove that the exponent of growth can be any real number \(\alpha > 1\). Namely they construct an algebra \(A_\alpha\) such that there exists the following limit \(\lim_{n\to\infty}\root n\of{c_n(A_\alpha)}=\alpha\). The methods are based on the representation theory of the symmetric group and on properties of infinite Sturmian and periodic words.