Lower central series of a free associative algebra over the integers and finite fields

TL;DR

This paper investigates the lower central series of free associative algebras over integers and finite fields, revealing torsion phenomena, dimension jumps, and geometric structures, extending known results from the rational case.

Contribution

It introduces the study of lower central series quotients over Z and F_p, describing torsion and dimension phenomena, and explores the superalgebra case with new theoretical and experimental insights.

Findings

Torsion in B_i over Z is described via De Rham cohomology.

Complete descriptions of ar{B}_1 and B_2 over Z and F_p are provided.

Experimental results and conjectures are formulated for B_i with i>2.

Abstract

Consider the free algebra A_n generated over Q by n generators x_1, ..., x_n. Interesting objects attached to A = A_n are members of its lower central series, L_i = L_i(A), defined inductively by L_1 = A, L_{i+1} = [A,L_{i}], and their associated graded components B_i = B_i(A) defined as B_i=L_i/L_{i+1}. These quotients B_i, for i at least 2, as well as the reduced quotient \bar{B}_1=A/(L_2+A L_3), exhibit a rich geometric structure, as shown by Feigin and Shoikhet and later authors, (Dobrovolska-Kim-Ma,Dobrovolska-Etingof,Arbesfeld-Jordan,Bapat-Jordan). We study the same problem over the integers Z and finite fields F_p. New phenomena arise, namely, torsion in B_i over Z, and jumps in dimension over F_p. We describe the torsion in the reduced quotient RB_1 and B_2 geometrically in terms of the De Rham cohomology of Z^n. As a corollary we obtain a complete description of \bar{B}_1(A_n(Z)) and \bar{B}_1(A_n(F_p)), as well as of B_2(A_n(Z[1/2])) and B_2(A_n(F_p)), p>2. We also give theoretical and experimental results for B_i with i>2, formulating a number of conjectures and questions based on them. Finally, we discuss the supercase, when some of the generators are odd (fermionic) and some are even (bosonic), and provide some theoretical results and experimental data in this case.