Applications of differential algebra to algebraic independence of arithmetic functions (Q2787079)

An analog of Schanuel's Conjecture for differential rings in characteristic zero has been proved by \textit{J. Ax} [Ann. Math. (2) 93, 252--268 (1971; Zbl 0232.10026)]. The author derives from Ax's result a further analog of Schanuel's Conjecture for the ring \({\mathcal{A}}\) of arithmetical functions, which are complex valued functions with domain the set of natural numbers, the product being given by the convolution \(\star\). The set \({\mathcal{A}}_0\) of \(f\in{\mathcal{A}}\) such that \(f(1)=0\) is the unique maximal ideal of \({\mathcal{A}}\). The map NEWLINE\[CARRIAGE_RETURNNEWLINE f\mapsto {\mathrm{Exp}}(f)=\sum_{k=0}^\infty \frac{f^k}{k!} CARRIAGE_RETURNNEWLINE\]NEWLINE from \({\mathcal{A}}_0\) to \({\mathcal{A}}\) can be extended to a continuous group homomorphism from \(({\mathcal{A}},+)\) to \(({\mathcal{A}}^\times,\star)\) by NEWLINE\[CARRIAGE_RETURNNEWLINE f\mapsto \exp(f(1))\star {\mathrm{Exp}}(f-f(1)). CARRIAGE_RETURNNEWLINE\]NEWLINE Let \(\Delta\) be a set of continuous derivations on the field of fractions \({\mathcal{F}}\) of \({\mathcal{A}}\) and let \({\mathcal{C}}\) be the intersection of their kernels. Let \(f_1,\dots,f_n\) be arithmetic functions such that eitherNEWLINENEWLINE(1) \({\mathrm{Exp}}(f_1),\dots,{\mathrm{Exp}}(f_n)\) are multiplicatively independent modulo \({\mathcal{C}}^\times\), orNEWLINENEWLINE(2) \(f_1,\dots,f_n\) are \({\mathbb{Q}}\)-linearly independent modulo \({\mathcal{C}}\).NEWLINENEWLINEThen the transcendence degree over \({\mathcal{C}}\) of the field \({\mathcal{C}}(f_1,\dots,f_n,{\mathrm{Exp}}(f_1),\dots,{\mathrm{Exp}}(f_n))\) is at least \(n+r\) where \(r\) is the rank of \((Df_i)_{D\in\Delta,1\leq i\leq n}\).NEWLINENEWLINEThe author deduces a number of results on the transcendence and the algebraic independence of arithmetic functions.