Similarity of matrices over commutative rings (Q1177243)

The author considers matrices \(A\) over a commutative reduced ring \(R\) which have constant rational or Jordan type (that is, the shape of the rational or Jordan canonical form of the matrix \(\bar A\) is the same over the algebraic closure of the quotient ring of each prime homomorphic image \(\bar R\)). In the case of the rational canonical form, the author shows that these are just the matrices which are locally similar to a matrix in rational canonical form. If the characteristic polynomial of \(A\) factors into linear factors, for example if \(A\) is nilpotent, and \(A\) has constant Jordan type, this leads to a similar result. In fact, \(A\) is similar to a matrix in Jordan form if all finitely generated projective \(R\)-modules are free.