Elasticity of \(A+XB[X]\) domains (Q1295765)

A domain \(R\) is called half-factorial (HFD) if \(R\) is atomic and any two factorizations of a nonzero nonunit of \(R\) as products of irreducible elements have the same length. The elasticity of \(R\) is defined as \(\rho(R)= \sup\{m/n: x_1\dots x_m= y_1\dots y_n\); \(x_i,y_i\in R\) irreducible\}. The author studies the elasticity of domains of the type \(A+XB[X]\) where \(A\subset B\) is an extension of domains and also conditions under which domains of that type are HFDs. She proves that \(\rho(A+ XB[X])= \rho(B[X])\) where \(B\) is not assumed to be a UFD. This allows her to show that there exists an extension \(A\subset B\) where \(B\) is not a UFD and such that \(A+XB[X]\) is a HFD. Moreover, she derives some conditions for \(A+ XB[X]\) to be a HFD in case that \(B\) is a UFD.