On the transcendence degree of group algebras of nilpotent groups

Abstract

Let G be a finitely generated (f.g.) torsion-free nilpotent group. Then the group algebra k[G] of G over a field k is a Noetherian domain and hence has a classical division ring of fractions, denoted by k(G). Recently, the division algebras k(G) and, somewhat more generally, division algebras generated by f.g. nilpotent groups have been studied in [3] and [5]. These papers are concerned with the question to what extent the division algebra determines the group under consideration. Here we continue the study of the division algebras k(G) and investigate their Gelfand–Kirillov (GK–) transcendence degree.