Locally Nilpotent Derivations on Polynomial Rings in Two Variables over a Field of Characteristic Zero.

Abstract

The main goal of this thesis is to present the theory of Locally Nilpotent Derivations and to show how it can be used to investigate the structure of the polynomial ring in two variables k[X;Y] over a field k of characteristic zero. The thesis gives a com- plete proof of Rentschler's Theorem, which describes all locally nilpotent derivations of k[X;Y]. Then we present Rentschler's proof of Jung's Theorem, which partially describes the group of automorphisms of k[X;Y]. Finally, we present the proof of the Structure Theorem for the group of automorphisms of k[X;Y].