Invariant theory in exterior algebras and Amitsur-Levitzki type theorems (Q900862)

The author considers invariants of algebras built on exterior algebras and relates the obtained results to Amitsur-Levitzki-type theorems. The first result deals with the exterior algebra on the vector space of \(n\times n\) matrices, or, equivalently, the algebra \(\Lambda(V\otimes V^{\ast})\) of the \(n\)-dimensional vector space \(V\). It describes the \((\mathrm{GL}_n({\mathbb C})\cong)\mathrm{GL}(V)\)-invariants \(\Lambda(V\otimes V^{\ast})^{\mathrm{GL}(V)}\) under conjugation. If \(X=(x_{ij})\) is an \(n\times n\) matrix in \(\Lambda(V\otimes V^{\ast})\), where \(x_{ij}\) are the elements of the standard basis of \(V\otimes V^{\ast}\), then the algebra of invariants is generated by the traces \(\mathrm{tr}(X),\mathrm{tr}(X^3),\dots,\mathrm{tr}(X^{2n-1})\) and all relations between these generators follow from the anticommutativity. Hence the algebra of invariants is isomorphic to the exterior algebra on an \(n\)-dimensional vector space. As a consequence, the author obtains a Cayley-Hamilton-type theorem for the generators \[ nX^{2n-1}=\sum_{k=1}^n\text{tr}(X^{2k-1})X^{2(n-k)} \] and a proof of the Amitsur-Levitzki theorem which establishes in another way the main step of the proof by \textit{S. Rosset} [Isr. J. Math. 23, 187--188 (1976; Zbl 0322.15020)]. Then the author studies the algebras of invariants \(\Lambda(\Lambda_2(V))^{\mathrm{O}(V)}\), \(\Lambda(\Lambda_2(V))^{\mathrm{SO}(V)}\), and \(\Lambda(\Lambda_2(V)\oplus S_2(V^{\ast}))^{\mathrm{GL}(V)}\). Again, all these algebras are isomorphic to exterior algebras. This is established by giving explicit sets of generators. The obtained results are related to a theorem by \textit{B. Kostant} [J. Math. Mech. 7, 237--264 (1958; Zbl 0087.25702)] and \textit{L. H. Rowen} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 190, 253--284 (1974; Zbl 0286.16012)] for alternating sums of skew-symmetric matrices and improve a result by \textit{A. Giambruno} [J. Algebra 133, No. 2, 433--438 (1990; Zbl 0725.16019)] for alternating sums with skew-symmetric and symmetric matrices, both being analogues of the Amitsur-Levitzki theorem. Finally, the author considers these algebras of invariants from the point of view of the cohomology theory of Lie algebras.