On Zero Divisors with Small Support in Group Rings of Torsion-Free Groups

TL;DR

This paper investigates Kaplanski's Zero Divisor Conjecture for torsion-free groups over the rationals, using combinatorial and computational methods to restrict possible zero divisors with small support.

Contribution

It introduces matched rectangles as a combinatorial tool and provides new bounds on the lengths of potential zero divisors, advancing the understanding of the conjecture.

Findings

Certain length combinations cannot occur for zero divisors in the group ring

Matched rectangles can be computed efficiently and relate to group presentations

Computer-assisted methods strengthen bounds on zero divisor lengths

Abstract

Kaplanski's Zero Divisor Conjecture envisions that for a torsion-free group G and an integral domain R, the group ring R[G] does not contain non-trivial zero divisors. We define the length of an element a in R[G] as the minimal non-negative integer k for which there are ring elements r_1,...,r_k in R and group elements g_1,...,g_k in G such that a = r_1 g_1+...+r_k g_k. We investigate the conjecture when R is the field of rational numbers. By a reduction to the finite field with two elements, we show that if ab = 0 for non-trivial elements in the group ring of a torsion-free group over the rationals, then the lengths of a and b cannot be among certain combinations. More precisely, we show for various pairs of integers (i,j) that if one of the lengths is at most i then the other length must exceed j. Using combinatorial arguments we show this for the pairs (3,6) and (4,4). With a computer-assisted approach we strengthen this to show the statement holds for the pairs (3,16) and (4,7). As part of our method, we describe a combinatorial structure, which we call matched rectangles, and show that for these a canonical labeling can be computed in quadratic time. Each matched rectangle gives rise to a presentation of a group. These associated groups are universal in the sense that there is no counterexample to the conjecture among them if and only if the conjecture is true over the rationals.