Symmetric ideals in group rings and simplicial homotopy. (Q626752)

Let \(F\) be a free group, \(\mathbb Z[F]\) its integral group ring and \(I\) a two-sided ideal in \(\mathbb Z[F]\). This paper concerns the general problem of description of the normal subgroup \(D(F;I)=F\cap(1+I)\) of \(F\). Let \(R_i\), \(1\leq i\leq n\), be normal subgroups of \(F\), consider two-sided ideals in \(\mathbb Z[F]\) defined as: \(r_i=(R_i-1)\mathbb Z[F]\), \(1\leq i\leq n\). In this paper the authors discuss the identification of: 1) the quotient \(Q(r_1,\dots,r_n)=\frac{r_1\cap\cdots\cap r_n}{(r_1\cdots r_n)_S}\) where \((r_1\cdots r_n)_S=\sum_{\sigma\in\mathfrak S_n}r_{\sigma(1)}\cdots r_{\sigma(n)}\) is the symmetric product; 2) the normal subgroup \(D(F;(r_1\cdots r_n)_S)\) of \(F\). The authors use homotopical methods since it is shown that, in certain cases, the subgroups determined by symmetric products of ideals in group rings can be described as homotopy groups of spheres.