Centrally Stable Algebras

Abstract

We define an algebra $A$ to be centrally stable if, for every epimorhism $\varphi$ from $A$ to another algebra $B$, the center $Z(B)$ of $B$ is equal to $\varphi(Z(A))$, the image of the center of $A$. After providing some examples and basic observations, we consider in somewhat greater detail central stability in tensor products of algebras, and finally establish our main result which states that a finite-dimensional unital algebra $A$ over a perfect field $F$ is centrally stable if and only if $A$ is isomorphic to a direct product of algebras of the form $C_i\otimes_{F_i}A_i$, where $F_i$ is a field extension of $F$, $C_i$ is a commutative $F_i$-algebra, and $A_i$ is a central simple $F_i$-algebra.