No label defined (Q4363301)

This paper presents a fascinating interplay between the theory of RA loops, quaternion and Cayley-Dickson algebras, and field theory. The authors consider the following situation: Let \(L\) be a Moufang loop with torsion subloop \(T\), and let \(K\) be a field. Assume the loop algebra \(KL\) is alternative, and let \({\mathcal U} (KL)\) denote the loop units in \(KL\). According to the situation where \(L=G\) is a group, the authors search for conditions which guarantee that every idempotent of \(KT\) is central in \(KL\). This investigation requires some knowledge in the theory of \(RA\) loops. By definition, they are loops \(L\) such that \(RL\) is alternative, but not associative, for any commutative and associative ring \(R\) with unity. The set \(T\) of torsion elements of an \(RA\) loop \(L\) is a normal, locally finite subloop of \(L\). In the sequel, \(L\) is always an \(RA\) loop with torsion subloop \(T\). First the authors consider the case that the field \(K\) has positive characteristic \(p\). Let \({\mathcal P}\) denote the prime field of \(K\). Then every idempotent of the alternative loop algebra \(KT\) is central in \(KL\) if and only if (1) \(p=2\), or (2) the set \(A\) of \(p'\)-elements of \(L\) is an abelian group, and (3) if \(A\) is not central, the algebraic closure \(\overline{\mathcal P}\) of \({\mathcal P}\) in \(K\) is finite, and, for all \(t\in A\) and \(x\in L\), there is a suitable multiple \(r\) of \([\overline {\mathcal P}: {\mathcal P}]\) such that \(xt^{-1}= t^{p^r}\). For a field \(K\) of characteristic 0 the situation is more complicated. Here every idempotent in \(KT\) is central in \(KL\) if and only if (1) for every \(t\in T\) and every \(x\in L\), there is an integer \(j>0\) such that \(xtx^{-1} =t^j\); (2) for every noncentral element \(t\in T\), \(K\) contains no root of unity of order the order of \(t\); and (3) either (a) \(T\) is an abelian group; or (b) \(T=A \times Q\) where \(A\) is an abelian group and \(Q\) is the quaternion group of order 8; or (c) \(T=A \times C\) where \(A\) is an abelian group and \(C\) is the Cayley loop of order 16. Moreover, in cases (b) and (c) some additional conditions on the field \(K\) have to be fulfilled.