Properties of hook Schur functions with applications to P. I. algebras (Q928776)

Recently the author proved that if the infinite series of Schur functions \(\sum m_{\lambda}S_{\lambda}(x_1,\ldots,x_k)\) converges to a ``nice'' rational function, i.e., a rational function with denominator which is a product of binomials of the form \(1-x_1^{a_1}\cdots x_k^{a_k}\), then the multiplicities \(m_{\lambda}\) behave in a nice way and some functions related with the series are also nice. These results were applied to derive quantitative and qualitative results on polynomial identities of finitely generated PI-algebras. The paper under review contains important generalizations of the above mentioned results. Its first part transfers the results on Schur functions to hook Schur functions \(HS_{\lambda}(x_1,\dots,x_k;y_1,\ldots,y_{\ell})\): If \(\sum HS_{\lambda}\) is nice, then various functions related with \(\sum HS_{\lambda}\) are also nice. Several important applications are obtained. In particular, the author proves that if \(A\) is a PI-algebra with unit in characteristic 0, then the colength sequence \(l_n (A)=\sum_{\lambda\vdash n}m_{\lambda}(A)\) (where \(\chi_n(A)=\sum_{\lambda\vdash n}m_{\lambda}(A)\chi_{\lambda}\) is the cocharacter sequence of \(A\)) is asymptotic to a function of the form \(Cn^t\), for some positive real number \(C\) and some positive integer \(t\); and the codimension sequence \(c_n(A)\) is asymptotic to a function of the form \(Cn^te^n\), for some positive real number \(C\), integer or half-integer \(t\), and positive integer \(e\).