Applications of degree estimate for subalgebras. (Q2844622)

Let \(K\) be a field and \(A_n\) be the polynomial ring \(K[X_1,\dots,X_n]\) or the free \(K\)-algebra \(K\langle X_1,\dots,X_n\rangle\). A polynomial \(p\in A_n\) is said to be a test element of \(A_n\), if every \(K\)-endomorphism \(\varphi\) of \(A_n\) fixing \(p\) is an automorphism of \(A_n\). A subalgebra \(R\) of \(A_n\) is called a retract of \(A_n\), if there exists a \(K\)-endomorphism \(\pi\) of \(A_n\), such that \(\pi(A_n)=R\) and \(\pi(r)=r\), for each \(r\in R\). For each element \(\rho\in A_n\), the set \(S(\rho)=\{\psi(\rho):\psi\in\Aut(A_n)\}\) is called an automorphic orbit of \(\rho\). Test elements and retracts of groups and other algebraic structures are defined in a similar way.NEWLINENEWLINE It is easy to see that a test element does not lie in any proper retract of \(A_n\). The validity of the converse has been proved in a number of cases, e.g., for free groups, free Lie algebras, free Lie superalgebras, and for \(A_2\) in characteristic zero.NEWLINENEWLINE The paper under review contains three main results concerning the algebra \(A_2=K\langle x,y\rangle\) when \(\text{char}(K)=\pi\geq 0\).NEWLINENEWLINE The first one shows that an element \(\rho\in A_2\) is a test element if and only if it does not belong to any proper retract of \(A_2\).NEWLINENEWLINE The second one states that if \(\varphi\) is a \(K\)-endomorphism of \(A_2\) preserving the automorphic orbit \(S(\rho)=\{\psi(\rho):\psi\in\Aut(A_2)\}\), for a nonconstant element \(\rho\in A_2\), then \(\varphi\) is an automorphism of \(A_2\).NEWLINENEWLINE The third one indicates that if there is an injective endomorphism \(\theta\) of \(A_2\), such that \(\theta(\rho)=x\), then \(\rho\) is a coordinate, i.e. there is \(q\in A_2\), for which the \(K\)-endomorphism of \(A_2\) defined by the rule \((x,y)\to(p,q)\), is an automorphism.NEWLINENEWLINE The authors also reprove the assertion that \(\Aut(A_2)\) consists of tame automorphisms. The proofs of the main result rely crucially on a sharp lower degree bound for nonconstant elements in a \(2\)-generated subalgebra of \(A_2\), obtained recently by the authors [see J. Algebra 362, 92-98 (2012; Zbl 1267.16023)].