On group rings of linear groups (Q5890847)

The main conclusions of this highly non-trivial paper can be summarized as follows. Let \(H\) be a finitely generated linear group of characteristic zero and \(K\) a field of characteristic 0 or characteristic \(p\) for large enough \(p\). Then there exists a normal subgroup \(G\) of \(H\) of finite index, a division ring \(D\) containing the group algebra \(KG\) as a subring and an action of \(H\) on \(D\) suitably compatible with conjugation by \(G\) on \(D\). As a result of this the group algebra \(KH\) can be embedded into a crossed product \(D^*(H/G)\) and hence into the matrix ring over \(D\) of degree \((H:G)\). Thus, in some sense the author describes \(KH\).