Invariants and the ring of generic matrices (Q800456)

This paper studies the polynomial identities of matrices over a field of characteristic 0. (For a background of the subject see the survey by \textit{E. Formanek} [Contemp. Math. 13, 41-79 (1982; Zbl 0503.16016)].) Let R be the algebra of \(n\times n\) generic matrices and let \(\bar R\) be the algebra generated by the elements of R and their traces. The spaces R and \(\bar R\) are graded and the general linear group GL acts canonically on them. The main purpose of this interesting and well written work is to describe the Poincaré (or Hilbert) series and the GL-module structure of \(\bar R\) and the centre \(\bar C\) of \(\bar R\). The answer is given in the language of the inner product of Schur functions. It is obtained that the Poincaré series of R and \(\bar R\) are very close. It turns out that the knowledge of the series of \(\bar R\) yields more information about R than could be expected a priori. A special investigation is undertaken of 2\(\times 2\) generic matrices. In this case, explicit formulae are given for the Poincaré series of \(\bar R\), \(\bar C\), R and \(C=R\cap\bar C\) and the multiplicities of the irreducible submodules of these GL-modules are calculated. In particular, new proofs are obtained of some results of \textit{C. Procesi} [J. Algebra 87, 342-359 (1984; Zbl 0537.16013)] and the reviewer [J. Algebra 91, 1-17 (1984)]. The main results of this paper are used by \textit{A. Regev} [Isr. J. Math. 47, 246-250 (1984; Zbl 0537.16014)] who gives an asymptotic connection between the codimensions and trace codimensions of matrices and by L. Le Bruyn and the author who find a functional equation satisfied by the Poincaré series of \(\bar R\) and \(\bar C\) in the case of 2\(\times 2\) and \(n\times n\) matrices, respectively.