Nikolaus Vonessen

Polynomial identity rings as rings of functions

Abstract In characteristic zero, Zinovy Reichstein and the author generalized the usual relationship between irreducible Zariski closed subsets of the affine space, their defining ideals, coordinate rings, and function fields, to a non-commutative setting, where “varieties” carry a PGL n -action, regular and rational “functions” on them are matrix-valued, “coordinate rings” are prime polynomial identity algebras, and “function fields” are central simple algebras of degree n. In the present paper, much of this is extended to prime characteristic. In addition, a mistake in the earlier paper is corrected. One of the results is that the finitely generated prime PI-algebras of degree n are precisely the rings that arise as “coordinate rings” of “n-varieties” in this setting. For n = 1 the definitions and results reduce to those of classical affine algebraic geometry.

Integrality for PI-rings

Abstract In this paper, we study (Schelter) integral extensions of PI-rings. We prove in particular lying over, going up, and incomparability for prime ideals. A major result is transitivity of integrality: If R⊆S⊆B are PI-rings such that B is integral over S and S is integral over R, then B is integral over R. Next, we obtain a powerful criterion for integrality: If S is a prime PI-ring such that its center is integral over a Noetherian subring R of S, then S is integral over R. This allows interesting applications to the theory of finite group actions. Further topics concern Eakin-Nagata type results and embeddings of quotient rings for integral extensions. Finally, we analyze the relationship between module-finite extensions and finitely generated integral extensions, obtaining positive results for affine Noetherian PI-algebras and algebras satisfying certain restrictions on PI-degrees (e.g., algebras of low PI-degree).

Group actions on central simple algebras: A geometric approach

Abstract We study actions of linear algebraic groups on central simple algebras using algebro-geometric techniques. Suppose an algebraic group G acts on a central simple algebra A of degree n. We are interested in questions of the following type: (a) Do the G-fixed elements form a central simple subalgebra of A of degree n? (b) Does A have a G-invariant maximal subfield? (c) Does A have a splitting field with a G-action, extending the G-action on the center of A? Somewhat surprisingly, we find that under mild assumptions on A and the actions, one can answer these questions by using techniques from birational invariant theory (i.e., the study of group actions on algebraic varieties, up to equivariant birational isomorphisms). In fact, group actions on central simple algebras turn out to be related to some of the central problems in birational invariant theory, such as the existence of sections, stabilizers in general position, affine models, etc. In this paper we explain these connections and explore them to give partial answers to questions (a)–(c).

Rational central simple algebras

We introduce a notion of rationality (called toroidal or t-rationality) for central simple algebras which extends Demazures characterization of rational algebraic varieties via torus actions. We prove a structure theorem for t-rational central simple algebras and study the interplay among t-rationality, crossed products and rationality of the center in the setting of universal division algebras.

Actions of linearly reductive groups on PI-algebras

Let G be a linearly reductive group acting rationally on a PI-algebra R. We study the relationship between R and the fixed ring R G , generalizing earlier results obtained under the additional hypothesis that R is affine

Tame group actions on central simple algebras

Abstract We study actions of linear algebraic groups on finite-dimensional central simple algebras. We describe the fixed algebra for a broad class of such actions.