On the Image Conjecture for Locally Finite Derivations and $\mathcal E$-Derivations

Abstract

Some cases of the LFED Conjecture, proposed by the second author [Z3], for certain integral domains are proved. In particular, the LFED Conjecture is completely established for the field of fractions $k(x)$ of the polynomial algebra $k[x]$, the formal power series algebra $k[[x]]$ and the Laurent formal power series algebra $k[[x]][x^{-1}]$, where $x=(x_1, x_2, \dots, x_n)$ denotes $n$ commutative free variables and $k$ a field of characteristic zero. Furthermore, the relation between the LFED Conjecture and the Duistermaat-van der Kallen Theorem [DK] is also discussed and emphasized.