On the indecomposability of unit groups (Q5956180)

Let \(A\) be a central simple \(K\)-algebra over an algebraic number field \(K\) with ring of integers \(R\). For an \(R\)-order \(\Lambda\) in \(A\), let \(\Gamma\) be the unit group and \(S\Gamma\) the subgroup of units with reduced norm 1. Then \(\Gamma\) is commensurable (\(\sim\)) to \(R^\times\times S\Gamma\). The equation \(\text{nr}(a)=1\) defines a Lie group \(H\) in \(\mathbb{R}\otimes_\mathbb{Q} A\) which contains \(S\Gamma\) as a discrete subgroup of finite covolume. Using non-trivial results on discrete subgroups of Lie groups, the author obtains the following theorems on \(S\Gamma\). If \(A\) is neither commutative nor a totally definite quaternion algebra, then \(S\Gamma\) is virtually indecomposable (i.e. \(S\Gamma\sim H_1\times H_2\Rightarrow H_1\) or \(H_2\) finite). If \(S\Gamma\) is commensurable with a non-trivial free product, then either \(A\) is a quaternion algebra which is ramified at all but one of the infinite places of \(K\), or \(A\) is of dimension 16 over \(K=\mathbb{Q}\) and ramified at \(\infty\). Finally, if \(S\Gamma\) is commensurable with a non-trivial tree product \(G\) (see \textit{J.-P. Serre}'s book on trees (1977; Zbl 0369.20013)), then \(A\cong M_n(D)\) with \(n\leq 2\) and \(\dim_KD=d^2\) such that at least one infinite place is ramified and \(nd=4\), or not ramified with \(nd=2\). For a non-definite quaternion skew-field \(A=D\), decompositions of \(G\) have been studied by \textit{H. Zieschang} [Math. Z. 151, 165-188 (1976; Zbl 0331.50018)]. The first case (\(nd=4\)) seems to be unexplored.