A division quaternion algebra in which the integral elements don’t form a ring

abstract-algebraalgebrasdivision-algebrasnoncommutative-algebraquaternions

I wish to find a division quaternion algebra $B$ over $\mathbb{Q}$ and elements $\alpha, \beta\in B$ such that $\alpha, \beta$ are integral over $\mathbb{Z}$ but both $\alpha + \beta$ and $\alpha \beta$ are not.

I know the following facts:

  • Let $B=\{\alpha=t+xi+yj+zij \mid t,x,y,z\in \mathbb{Q}, i^2=a, j^2=b, ji=-ij\}$ where $a,b\in \mathbb{Q}^\times$. Then $\alpha$ is integral if and only if $\mathrm{trd}(\alpha) = \alpha+\overline{\alpha},\mathrm{nrd}(\alpha)=\alpha\overline{\alpha}\in \mathbb{Z}$, where $\overline{\alpha} = t-(xi+yj+zij)$.
  • Since $B$ is a division quaternion algebra, it is NOT isomorphic to $M_2(\mathbb{Q})$. That is, we can't have $a=1$ or $b=1$.
  • If $a=b=-1$ then we get a restriction of Hamiltonians which have ring of integers given by Hurwitz order.
  • Since $B$ is noncommutative, the set of elements in $B$ integral over $\mathbb{Z}$ is no longer necessarily itself a ring because although $\mathbb{Z}[\alpha]$ and $\mathbb{Z}[\beta]$ may be finitely generated as $\mathbb{Z}$-modules for $\alpha,\beta\in B$, this need not be the case for the $\mathbb{Z}$-algebra generated by $\alpha$ and $\beta$.

Thank you for reading. Any help you could provide would be much appreciated.

Source: Exercise 10.10 of Voight's textbook.

Best Answer

Posting the following to take this out of the unanswered pile.


Let $B=\Bbb{H}_{\Bbb{Q}}$ be the usual division algebra of Hamilton's quaternions but limited to rational coefficients of $1,i,j,k$.

  • Show that $u=\dfrac35i+\dfrac45j$ is a zero of $x^2+1$ and hence integral.
  • Show that $iu$ is not integral even though both $i$ and $u$ are.

The maximal orders are not unique in non-commutative division algebras over $\Bbb{Q}$, in sharp contrast to the case of number fields.

Still, every integral element belongs to some maximal order. In the above case we see that the $\Bbb{Z}$-span of $1,u,k,uk$ forms an order isomorphic to the ring $L$ of Lipschitz integer quaternions. That is not a maximal order, but there is the obvious analogue of the Hurwitz quaternions (loc. cit.), $\Bbb{Z}$-spanned by $u,k,uk$ and $(1+u+k+uk)/2$ that is a maximal order.