Modules over affine algebras having subexponential growth (Q923698)

Let R be a finitely generated algebra over a field F; so that there is a finite dimensional F-subspace V of R with \(R=\cup V^ n\). The algebra R has subexponential growth if \(\limsup(\log (\dim V^ n)/n)=0\). In this case the author extends the definition of rank, given by \textit{E. Aljadeff} and \textit{S. Rosset} [Isr. J. Math. 64, 251-256 (1988; Zbl 0673.16014)] for free modules, to arbitrary finitely generated modules. The definition, for a finitely generated module M with finite dimensional generating subspace \(M_ 0\), is that \[ rank_{M_ 0}(M)=\limsup(\dim (M_ 0V^ n)/\dim V^ n) \] and then rank(M) is the infimum over all possible \(M_ 0\). Obviously, the rank of M is at most equal to the size of a minimal generating set for M, and also it is shown that the rank of a free module on t generators is t. In the presence of the technical condition of strictly defined growth this rank is a Sylvester module rank function.