Three notes on \(R^{(1)}\) (Q1080482)

Let R be an integral domain, let \(P_ 1(R)=\{p\in Spec(R)| \quad ht(p)=1\}\) and let \(R^{(1)}=\cap \{R_ p| \quad p\in P_ 1(R)\}.\)\ A classical result on Krull domains states that if R is such a domain then \(R=R^{(1)}\) and \(R\neq \cap \{R_ p| \quad p\in P_ 1(R)-\{q\}\}\) for each \(q\in P_ 1(R)\). The object of this paper is to give some related results for Noetherian domains. A prime \(ideal\quad p\) of an integral \(domain\quad R\) is said to be ''essential'' if p is a prime divisor of \(I^ n\) for each nonzero ideal \(I\subseteq p\) and for each large \(integer\quad n.\) For an integral domain R, let \(P_ e(R)=\{p\in Spec(R)| \quad p\quad is\quad essential\},\) and \(P_{a}(R)=\{p\in Spec(R)| \quad p\quad is\) a prime divisor of \((bR)_{a}\), the integral closure in R of a nonzero principal \(ideal\quad bR\}.\) Let \(R^ e=\cap \{R_ p| \quad p\in P_ e(R)\},\) and \(R^{a}=\cap \{R_ p| \quad p\in P_{a}(R)\}.\) It then holds that \(R\subseteq R^ e\subseteq R^{(1)}\) and \(R\subseteq R^{a}\subseteq R^{(1)}.\) Among the results given is the very nice result that if R is a semi-local (Noetherian) domain then \(R^ e\) is the largest finite integral extension domain of R of the form \(\cap \{R_ p| \quad p\in E\}\) for \(E\subseteq Spec(R)\), and \(R^ e\neq \cap \{R_ p| \quad p\in P_ e(R)-\{q\}\}\) for each \(q\in Spec(R)\) which is a maximal member of \(P_ e(R)\). Several consequences of this result are given. For instance if R is an unmixed semi-local domain, then \(R^{(1)}\) is a finite R-module. A result of Grothendieck can be stated in the present language as saying that if R is a semi-local domain, then \(R^{(1)}\) is a finite R-module if and only if all essential prime ideals in R have height one. A new proof of this result and an elaboration are also given, as well as several other results on the ring extension \(R^ e\), including other characterizations of this ring and of the set of essential primes. Similar results on \(R^{a}\) are given also. For example it is shown that if R is a Noetherian domain then \(R^{a}\) is the largest integral extension domain of R of the form \(\cap \{R_ p| \quad p\in E\}\) for \(E\subseteq Spec(R)\).