On the index of minimal zero-sum sequences over finite cyclic groups (Q2459505)

Let \(G\) be a cyclic group of order \(n\geq 2\). A finite sequence \(S\) of not necessarily distinct elements from \(G\) with \(|S|= k\) the number of elements in \(S\) (\(k\) the length of \(S\)) will be written in the form \[ S= g_1\cdot\dots\cdot g_k= \prod^k_{i=1} g_i= \prod_{g\in G} g^{v_g(S)}, \] where \(v_g(S)\geq 0\) is called the multiplicity of \(g\) in \(S\). A sequence \(S\) is a zero-sum sequence if the sum \(\sigma(S):= \sum^k_{i=1} g_i= 0\), and \(S\) is a minimal zero-sum sequence if \(S\) is a zero-sum sequence and \(S\) contains no proper zero-sum sequence. Further is called a sequence \(S\) zero-sum-free if for any subsequence \(W\) of \(S\) is \(\sigma(W)\neq 0\). Let \(I(G)\) denote the smallest integer \(t\in\mathbb{N}\) such that every minimal zero-sum sequence \(S\) with length \(|S|\geq t\) satisfies index \((S)= 1\). As one of the main results we refer the following theorem: Let \(G\) be a cyclic group of order \(n\). If \(n\in\{1,2, 3,4,5,7\}\), then \(I(G)= 1\) and if \(n= 6\), then \(I(G)= 5\). For every \(n\geq 8\) is \(I(G)= \lfloor{n\over 2}\rfloor+ 2\). With \(\text{supp}(S):= \{g\in S\mid g= g_i\}\) the support of \(S\) is further shown: Let \(G\) be a cyclic group of order \(n\geq 3\) and \(S\) a zero-sum-free sequence of length \(|S|\geq {n+1\over 2}\). Then there exists some \(g\in\text{supp}(S)\) with \(v_g(S)\geq|S|= {n-1\over 3}\). There is given another proof of a result of \textit{A. Geroldinger} and \textit{Y. O. Hamidoune} [J. Théor. Nombres Bordx. 14, 221--239 (2002; Zbl 1018.11011)].