Growth of subalgebras and subideals in free Lie algebras (Q471884)

The authors investigate subalgebras in free Lie algebras, the main tool being relative growth and cogrowth functions. The study reveals drastic differences in the behavior of proper finitely generated subalgebras and nonzero subideals. A function \(f(n)\) of natural argument with nonnegative values is \textit{exponential}, if the lower limit of the function \(\root n \of {f(n)}\) is greater than 1. If there exists a limit \(\roman{lim}_{n\to\infty}\root n \of {f(n)}\), it is called the \textit{(exponential) base} \(\beta_f\) of the function. A function \(f_1(n)\) is \textit{exponentially negligible} compared to another function \(f_2(n)\) if the ratio \(f_2(n)/ f_1(n)\) grows exponentially. A subalgebra \(M\) of a Lie algebra \(L\) is named an \(l\)-\textit{subideal}, \(l\geq 1\), if there is a decreasing sequence \(L\triangleright L_1\triangleright \dots \triangleright L_{l-1} \triangleright M\), where each term is an ideal in the preceding term. Let \(L=L(X)\) be a free Lie algebra of finite rank with a free generating set \(X\). One naturally defines an increasing filtration \(L^{(1)}\subset L^{(2)}\subset\dots \subset L^{(n)}\subset\dots\) using degree in \(X\). Assume that \(H\subset L\) is a subspace. The \textit{relative growth} function is defined as \(g_H(n)=\roman{dim}(H \cap L^{(n)})\), \(n\geq 1\). The \textit{cogrowth} function is given by \(g_{L/H}(n)=\roman{dim} L^{ (n)} /(H\cap L^{ (n)})\), \(n\geq 1\). The main results are as follows. Theorem 1. The relative growth function \(g_H(n)\) of any proper finitely generated subalgebra \(H\) of a free Lie algebra \(L\) of finite rank is exponentially negligible. Theorem 2. The cogrowth function of any nonzero subideal of a free Lie algebra of finite rank \(m\geq 2\) is exponentially negligible. A more precise statements are as follows. Theorem 3. Let \(L\) be a free Lie algebra of rank \(m\), with a fixed basis \(X\). Then the following are true. (i) The relative growth function \(g_H(n)\) of a proper nonabelian subalgebra \(H\) of \(L\), with respect to \(X\), is exponential. (ii) If \(H\) is a finitely generated nonabelian subalgebra of \(L\) then the exponential base \(\beta_H\) of \(g_H\) is an algebraic integer. If \(H\) is proper then \(\beta_H<m\). (iii) For any real \(m_0\in[1, m]\) there is a subalgebra \(H\) of \(L\) such that \(\beta_H=m_0\). One can choose \(H\) as a retract of an ideal of codimension 1 in \(L\). (iv) For any real \(m_0\in [1, m]\) there is a 2-subideal \(S\) of \(L\) such that the exponential base \(\beta_{L/S}\) of the relative cogrowth function \(g_{L/S} \) equals \(m_0\). One can choose \(S\) as an ideal in an ideal \(M\) of codimension 1 in \(L\), with free factor algebra \(M/S\). The authors derive ``qualitative'' consequences such as the following. { Corollary}. No proper finitely generated subalgebra \(K\) of a free Lie algebra \(L\) can contain a nonzero subideal \(H\) of \(L\).