Subvarieties of the matrix variety of second order (Q1567690)

Let \(\mathcal M\) be the variety of unitary associative algebras generated by the \(2\times 2\) matrix algebra \(M_2(K)\) over a field \(K\) of characteristic 0. The systematic study of the subvarieties of \(\mathcal M\) was started by \textit{Yu. P. Razmyslov} [in Algebra Logika 13, 685-693 (1974; Zbl 0314.17005); translation in Algebra Logic 13 (1974), 394-399 (1975)], where he showed that the subvarieties of \(\mathcal M\) satisfy the finite basis (or Specht) property. Then \textit{A. R. Kemer} [Izv. Vyssh. Uchebn. Zaved., Mat. 1989, No. 6(325), 71-76 (1989; Zbl 0678.16013); translation in Sov. Math. 33, No. 6, 71-76 (1990)] and the reviewer [Serdica 12, 209-216 (1986; Zbl 0621.16019)] gave alternative descriptions of the subvarieties of \(\mathcal M\). Kemer established that the T-ideal of any subvariety \(\mathcal U\) of \(\mathcal M\) asymptotically equals (i.e. for sufficiently large \(n\) contains the same proper (or commutator) polynomial identities as) the sum of the T-ideals of the polynomial identities of \(M_2(K)\) and the algebra of \(s\times s\) upper triangular matrices for some \(s\). The description of Drensky gives that asymptotically the T-ideal of \(\mathcal U\) coincides for some \(s\) with the T-ideal of the subalgebra \(R_s\) of \(M_2(K[t]/(t^s))\) generated by \(e_{11},e_{22},te_{12},te_{21}\), where \((t^s)\) is the ideal of \(K[t]\) generated by \(t^s\). The main purpose of the paper under review is to present an explicit basis of the polynomial identities of the algebra \(R_s\). The main result states that the polynomial identities of \(R_s\) are equivalent to a system of three polynomial identities: the standard identity \(S_4(x_1,x_2,x_3,x_4)=0\), the Hall identity in two variables \([[x_1,x_2]^2,x_1]=0\) and one explicitly given polynomial identity \(f_s(x_1,x_2,x_3)=0\) involving three variables.