For a nonzero finitely generated module over the complex Weyl algebra , its Bernstein growth dimension of a Weyl algebra module is at least . The faithful finite-step action of a Weyl algebra gives . Comparing degrees and proves the inequality. The polynomial module has dimension , so the bound is sharp. This is an algebraic growth inequality, distinct from probabilistic Bernstein inequalities.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2015 iii Paper 1 6 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
For , write for multiplication by in . The algebraic differential operator ring is defined by the filtrationThe order of an algebraic differential operator is the least for which ; the zero operator may be assigned order . In degree zero, commuting with all multiplication maps means , so . The commutator identity proves by induction that , so the union is a ring under addition and composition.
The derivations of an algebra formEvery such derivation has and , so has differential order at most one. Conversely, if , set and . Then and is a multiplication map. Evaluating at shows it is ; evaluating at gives the Leibniz rule. Hence the first-order algebraic differential operator decomposition isIt is a direct sum as -vector spaces: a multiplication map that is a derivation vanishes at , and is zero.
The complex Weyl algebra has generators and relationsTake . If a nonzero unital module had finite dimension of a vector space over , its representing matrices would satisfy . Taking the matrix trace gives , impossible in characteristic zero. The Weyl algebra has no nonzero finite-dimensional modules. For the algebra is and this assertion has the obvious exception.
For a nonzero finitely generated Weyl algebra module, use the Bernstein filtrationThe ordered monomials form a vector space basis, soTo justify the ordered basis, the relations move all to the right and give spanning. Independence follows in the action on : apply a putative zero operator coefficientwise to the formal exponential , obtaining . Thus every coefficient vanishes.
Choose a finite-dimensional nonzero generating subspace and set . The associated graded module is finitely generated over the polynomial associated graded ring, so the Hilbert-Serre theorem implies is eventually a polynomial. DefineThis Bernstein growth dimension of a Weyl algebra module equals the Gelfand–Kirillov dimension of a module, not its ordinary vector-space dimension. If a different finite generating subspace is used, each lies in some fixed filtration step of the other. The corresponding are sandwiched between shifted filtrations, so the degree is unchanged.
We prove Bernstein inequality for Weyl algebra modules using an injectivity estimate. The faithful finite-step action of a Weyl algebra claim is that the mapis injective for every . Induct on . For , a scalar annihilating is zero. Suppose annihilates . For any generator or , the commutator belongs to and annihilates : both and vanish. The induction hypothesis gives for every generator. In the ordered basis,In characteristic zero these identities force to be a scalar. Since it annihilates , it is zero. This proves injectivity.
ConsequentlyThe left side grows as a positive constant times ; the right side has growth degree . Comparing powers provesThe polynomial module , with the usual multiplication and differentiation actions, has , showing the bound is sharp.