Presentation of an Iwasawa algebra: the case of \(\Gamma_1\text{SL}(2,\mathbb Z_p)\) (Q651255)

Let \(G\) be the subgroup of \(\mathrm{SL}(2,\mathbb{Z}_p)\) consisting of matrices that are congruent to \(\mathbf{1}\) modulo \(p\). The goal of this article is to give an explicit presentation of the Iwasawa algebra \(\Lambda_G\) of \(G\), the ring of \(\mathbb{Z}_p\)-valued measures on \(G\), for \(p \neq 2\). The author points out that ``it seems to have been assumed that explicit descriptions, by generators and relations, of these algebras were inaccessible. However, it is a general principle that natural objects coming from semi-simple (split) groups have explicit presentations.'' The author proves that \(\Lambda_G\) is (non-commutatively) generated by three elements and three relations (theorem 1.2). He then shows how his explicit description of \(\Lambda_G\) can be used to prove that the centre of \(\Lambda_G\) is trivial (a consequence of a more general theorem of \textit{K. Ardakov} [Doc. Math., J. DMV 9, 599--606 (2004; Zbl 1082.16031)]).