Homomorphic images of pro-nilpotent algebras (Q351797)

Let \(k\) be a field and and let \(I\) be an inversely directed partially ordered set. In the paper under review the author considers pro-nilpotent not necessarily associative algebras, i.e., the inverse limit \(A=\varprojlim_IA_i\) of a family of nilpotent algebras \(A_i\), \(i\in I\). (This means that a family of homomorphisms \(f_{ji}:A_i\to A_j\), \(i\leq j\), is given such that \(f_{ii}=\text{Id}_{A_i}\) and \(f_{lj}f_{ji}=f_{lj}\) for \(i\leq j\leq l\). Then \(A\) is the subalgebra of \(\prod_IA_i\) generated by those elements \((a_i)_{i\in I}\) such that \(f_{ji}(a_i)=a_j\) for all \(i\leq j\).) The main result of the paper is that any finite-dimensional homomorphic image of the inverse limit \(A\) is nilpotent. More generally, the author establishes this result for algebras over a general commutative ring \(k\), with ``finite-dimensional'' replaced by ``of finite length as a \(k\)-module.'' The proofs are based on the detailed study of the multiplication algebra \(M(A)\) of \(A\) (i.e., the associative algebra of \(k\)-linear maps \(A \rightarrow A\) generated by left and right multiplications by elements of \(A\)). The behavior of \(M(A)\) with respect to nilpotence, inverse limits, and homomorphic images gives the necessary information sufficient to establish the nilpotence of the finite-dimensional homomorphic images of \(A\). As an application, the author shows that a finite-dimensional homomorphic image of an inverse limit of finite-dimensional solvable Lie algebras over a field of characteristic 0 is solvable. The paper contains a series of examples which show that the finite dimensionality of the homomorphic image is essential, and infinite-dimensional homomorphic images of pro-nilpotent algebras can have properties far from those of nilpotent algebras. The paper is concluded with several open questions and directions for further investigations.