Gerstenhaber algebra structure on the Hochschild cohomology ring of the Xu--Snashall algebra
Let $A$ be a finite dimensional algebra and let $\rmHH^*(A)$ be its Hochschild cohomology ring, which is a Gerstenhaber algebra. Denote by $\calN$ (resp. $G$, $\calG$) the ideal (resp. weak Gerstenhaber ideal, Gerstenhaber ideal) generated by all homogeneous nilpotent elements. Motivated by their work on support varieties via Hochschild cohomology, Snashall and Solberg conjectured that $\rmHH^*(A)/\calN$ is a finitely generated algebra. Xu constructed a counterexample to the Snashall-Solberg conjecture over a base field of characteristic two, and Snashall generalized this example to arbitrary characteristic. Hermann further asked whether $\rmHH^*(A)/G$ is a finitely generated algebra and suggested considering first the Xu--Snashall algebra. In this paper, we answer this question for the Xu--Snashall algebra. In fact, by explicitly computing the Gerstenhaber algebra structure on the Hochschild cohomology ring, we show that $G=\calN$; hence $\rmHH^*(A)/G=\rmHH^*(A)/\calN$ is not a finitely generated algebra. Furthermore, we show that $\rmHH^*(A)/\calG\cong K$. Therefore, one may ask whether, for a finite dimensional algebra $A$, $\rmHH^*(A)/\calG$ is always a finitely generated algebra. Our main tools are two-sided Anick resolutions and weak self-homotopies.