Unions of sets of lengths. (Q1038632)

Let \(H\) be a Krull monoid such that every class contains a prime (e.g. the multiplicative monoid of integers of an algebraic number field). \textit{S. T. Chapman} and \textit{W. W. Smith} [Isr. J. Math. 71, No. 1, 65-95 (1990; Zbl 0717.13014)] introduced for every positive integer \(k\) the set \(\mathcal V_k\), consisting of all integers \(m\) such that there is an element of \(H\) having factorizations into irreducibles of lengths \(k\) and \(m\). The authors show that for every \(k\) the set \(\mathcal V_k\) is an interval, pose the question whether the same holds also for non-principal orders in algebraic number fields and answer it positively in the case of the order \(\mathbb Z[\sqrt{-7}]\).