Surjective derivations in small dimensions (Q2871000)

The paper deals with surjective derivations of complex affine domains. First the authors observe that due to an error in the proof of Lemma 5.5 in [\textit{D. Cerveau}, J. Algebra 195, No. 1, 320--335, Art. No. JA977044 (1997; Zbl 0893.32020)], a complete characterization of surjective \(\mathbb{C}\)-derivations of \(\mathbb{C}[x,y]\) is still unknown. More precisely, the question whether every surjective \(\mathbb{C}\)-derivation of \(\mathbb{C}[x,y]\) is algebraically conjugated to one of the form \(D=\frac{\partial}{\partial x}+ay\frac{\partial}{\partial y}\) for some \(a\in\mathbb{C}\) remains unsolved.NEWLINENEWLINEInspired by Cerveau's article, the authors prove that every pair \((B,D)\) consisting of a factorial affine domain of dimension 2 over \(\mathbb{C}\) such that \(B^*=\mathbb{C}^{*}\) and a surjective \(\mathbb{C}\)-derivation \(D\) of \(B\) with nontrivial kernel \(\mathrm{KerD}\neq\mathbb{C}\) is isomorphic to \((\mathbb{C}[x,y],\frac{\partial}{\partial x})\). They also show that Cerveau's result that every surjective \(\mathbb{C}\)-derivation \(D\) of \(\mathbb{C}[x,y]\) admits an integral element, i.e. a polynomial \(f\) such that \(D(f)=hf\) for some polynomial \(h\) remains valid.