Extensions of almost faithful prime ideals in virtually nilpotent mod-\(p\) Iwasawa algebras
Let $G$ be a compact $p$-adic Lie group and $k$ a pseudocompact ring. Denote by $k\llbracket G \rrbracket$ the Iwasawa algebra of $G$ over $k$. In their survey paper, \textit{K. Ardakov} and \textit{K. A. Brown} [Doc. Math. Extra Vol., 7--33 (2007; Zbl 1125.16011)] posed an imprecise question in the cases when $k=\mathbb{F}_p$ or $\mathbb{Z}_p$: Is there a mechanism for constructing ideals of $k\llbracket G \rrbracket$ which involves neither central elements nor closed normal subgroups? A negative answer was given in [\textit{K. Ardakov}, Invent. Math. 190, No. 2, 439--503 (2012; Zbl 1263.16026)] for prime ideals in the case when $G$ is a nilpotent $p$-valuable group and $k$ is a field of characteristic $p$. Precisely speaking, Ardakov proved that every faithful prime ideal of the Iwasawa algebra $k\llbracket G \rrbracket$ is controlled by the center of $G$. \par In this paper under review, the author takes some steps toward extending this result. He takes $G$ to be a nilpotent-by-finite compact $p$-adic Lie group group, and $k$ a finite field of characteristic $p$. Recall the characteristic open subgroup $H=\mathbf{FN}_p(G)$, the finite-by-(nilpotent $p$-valuable) radical of $G$, defined in [the author, J. Group Theory 21, No. 1, 165--188 (2018; Zbl 1437.20024)]. This notion plays an important role in the structure of the group $G$; for instance, see the structure Theorem D of [loc. cit.]. The main result of this paper is: Let us fix some prime number $p>2$. Let $G$ be a nilpotent-by-finite compact $p$-adic Lie group, $H=\mathbf{FN}_p(G)$, and $k$ a finite field with characteristic $p$. Let $P$ be an almost faithful, $G$-stable prime ideal of $k\llbracket H \rrbracket$. Then $Pk\llbracket G \rrbracket$ is a prime ideal of $k\llbracket G \rrbracket$.
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