Rings of small rank over a Dedekind domain and their ideals (Q530412): Difference between revisions

One of the classical topics in number theory is what integers are represented by binary quadratic form such as \(\phi(x,y)=ax^2+bxy+cy^2\), the form whose discriminant \(D=b^2-4ac\) has a fixed value, and \(\mathrm{gcd}(a,b,c)=1\). Gauss was the first one who discovered that can be given the structure of an abelian group to these forms, which has the property that if forms \(\phi_1,\phi_2\) represent the numbers \(n_1,n_2\), respectively, then their product \(\phi_1*\phi_2\) represents \(n_1n_2\). This group operation \(*\) is known as Gauss composition. Since Gauss's time mathematicians have discovered various reinterpretations of the composition law on binary quadratic forms, in particular [\textit{M. Bhargava}, Ann. Math. (2) 159, No. 2, 865--886 (2004; Zbl 1169.11044); Ann. Math. (2) 159, No. 1, 217--250 (2004; Zbl 1072.11078)]. In the paper under review, the author gives a generalization of Bhargava's theory of higher composition law to the case where the base ring \(\mathbb Z\) is replaced by an arbitrary Dedekind domain \(R\). The author goes further on parametrization of quadratic,cubic,and quartic algebras over \(R\). The paper has several examples that are very interesting and helpful.