The nilpotent regular element problem
von Neumann regular rings and generalizations (associative algebraic aspects) (16E50) Associative rings determined by universal properties (free algebras, coproducts, adjunction of inverses, etc.) (16S10) Finite generation, finite presentability, normal forms (diamond lemma, term-rewriting) (16S15) Conditions on elements (16U99)
Given a unital associative ring \(S\), we say that an element \(x\in S\) is von Neumann regular if there exists \(y\in S\) such that \(x=xyx\). The element \(y\in S\) is known as an inner-inverse (or quasi-inverse) of \(x\); if \(y\) is invertible in \(S\), then \(x\) is said to be unit-regular. If \(x=xyx\) and \(y=yxy\), then \(y\) is said to be a generalized inverse of \(x\).NEWLINENEWLINEIn the paper under review, the authors consider the problem of whether a nilpotent von Neumann regular element \(x\) of a ring \(S\) must be unit-regular. This fact plays an important role in the first author's proof of the fact that strongly \(\pi\)-regular rings have stable range one [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 124, No. 11, 3293--3298 (1996; Zbl 0865.16007)]. Also, it is relevant for the possibility of constructing ring direct limits producing non-separative von Neumann regular rings [the first author et al., Isr. J. Math. 105, 105--137 (1998; Zbl 0908.16002)].NEWLINENEWLINEThe answer to this question is affirmative for nilpotent regular elements of exchange rings [the first author, Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 124, No. 11, 3293--3298 (1996; Zbl 0865.16007), Theorem 2], and for nilpotent elements of an arbitrary ring having all its powers von Neumann regular [\textit{K. I. Beidar} et al., Commun. Algebra 32, No. 9, 3543--3562 (2004; Zbl 1074.16005), Theorem 3.6].NEWLINENEWLINETo settle this question, the authors use a recent description of \textit{G. M. Bergman} [J. Algebra 449, 355--399 (2016; Zbl 1338.16026)] about universally adjoining inner-inverses to arbitrary elements of an algebra over a field. With this tool at hand, they are able to show that the answer is negative, by constructing an example:NEWLINENEWLINELet \(F\) be a field, let \(R=F[x]/\langle x^3\rangle\), and let NEWLINE\[NEWLINES=R\langle q \mid xqx=x, qxq=q\rangleNEWLINE\]NEWLINE the algebra obtained by freely adjoining a generalized inverse \(q\) of \(x\). Then, they use Bergman's normal form to conclude that \(x\) is not unit-regular.NEWLINENEWLINEAs noticed by the authors, \textit{P. P. Nielsen} and \textit{J. Šter} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 370, No. 3, 1759--1782 (2018; Zbl 1445.16008)] independently constructed such counterexample. Section 3 in the paper under review is devoted to present this example, and to show that both rings are isomorphic.
- Unit-regularity of regular nilpotent elements
- Connections between unit-regularity, regularity, cleanness, and strong cleanness of elements and rings
- A new setting for constructing von Neumann regular rings
- Ring elements of stable range one
- When is a product of EP elements again EP?
- On the greatest semilattice decomposition of subsemigroups of regular rings
- Adjoining a universal inner inverse to a ring element.
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