We study liftings or deformations of $D$-modules ($D$ is the ring of differential operators from EGA IV) from positive characteristic to characteristic zero using ideas of Matzat and Berthelot’s theory of arithmetic $D$-modules. We pay special attention to the growth of the differential Galois group of the liftings. We also apply formal deformation theory (following Schlessinger and Mazur) to analyze the space of all liftings of a given $D$-module in positive characteristic. At the end we compare the problems...

Let k be a field. We describe all linear derivations d of the polynomial algebra k[x₁,...,xₘ] such that the algebra of constants with respect to d is generated by linear forms: (a) over k in the case of char k = 0, (b) over $k[x{₁}^p,...,x{ₘ}^p]$ in the case of char k = p > 0.

Given a 3-dimensional vector field V with coordinates $V_x$, $V_y$ and $V_z$ that are homogeneous polynomials in the ring k[x,y,z], we give a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of a Liouvillian first integral of V which is homogeneous of degree 0. This condition is the existence of some 1-forms with coordinates in the ring k[x,y,z] enjoying precise properties; in particular, they have to be integrable in the sense of Pfaff and orthogonal to the vector field V. Thus, our theorem links the existence...

We give a description of all local derivations (in the Kadison sense) in the polynomial ring in one variable in characteristic two. Moreover, we describe all local derivations in the power series ring in one variable in any characteristic.

We give a new proof of Miyanishi's theorem on the classification of the additive group scheme actions on the affine plane.

We prove that every locally nilpotent monomial k-derivation of k[X₁,...,Xₙ] is triangular, whenever k is a ring of characteristic zero. A method of testing monomial k-derivations for local nilpotency is also presented.