Weakly factorial property of a generalized Rees ring \(D[X,d/X]\) (Q1755468)

This article investigates the weakly factorial property of a generalized Rees ring \(R:=D[X,d/X]\) where \(D\) is an integral domain, \(d\in D\), and \(X\) is an indeterminate over \(D\). An integral domain \(D\) is said to be a weakly factorial domain (WFD) if each nonzero, nonunit of \(D\) can be written as a finite product of primary elements of \(D\), where \(a\in D\) is primary if \(aD\) is a primary ideal. This article looks to expand on some similar results in the literature about the ring \(S=D[tI, t^{-1}]\) where \(t\) is an indeterminate and \(I\) is an ideal such as: (1) if \(I\) is finitely generated then \(S\) is a UFD if and only if \(D\) is a UFD and \(t^{-1}\) is a prime element of \(S\) [\textit{D. Whitman}, Math. Jap. 17, 13--14 (1972; Zbl 0255.13015)], (2) \(S\) is a GCD-domain if and only if \(D\) is a GCD-domain and \(t^{-1}\) is a prime element of \(S\) [\textit{J. Mott}, Math. Jap. 20, 85--87 (1975; Zbl 0321.13001)] , (3) \(S\) is a Prüfer \(\nu\)-multiplication domain (P\(\nu\)MD) if and only if \(S\) is a (P\(\nu\)MD), \(t^{-1}\) is prime in \(S\) and \(\cap_{n=1}^{\infty} I^n = (0)\) [\textit{H. Kim} et al., Bull. Korean Math. Soc. 41, No. 3, 473--482 (2004; Zbl 1074.13002)]. We note that the situation focused on in this article is achieved when \(I=dD\) and \(X=t^{-1}\). The author is able to prove several nice results including, but not limited to the following: (1) \(R\) is a WFD if and only if \(R\) is a weakly factorial GCD-domain if and only if \(D\) is a weakly factorial GCD domain and \(d=0\), \(d \in U(D)\), or \(d\) is prime in \(D\), (2) \(R\) is a ring of Krull type if and only if \(D\) is of Krull type, and (3) If \(D\) is a weakly factorial GCD-domain, \(p\) is prime in \(D\), and \(n \geq 2\) is an integer, then \(D[X, p^n/X]\) is an almost weakly factorial domain with Cl\((D[X, p^n/X])=\mathbb{Z}_n\). A domain is said to be of Krull type if there is a set \(\{V_\alpha\}\) of valuation overrings of \(D\) such that (1) each \(V_\alpha=D_P\) for some prime ideal \(P\) of \(D\), (2) \(D=\cap V_\alpha\), and (3) this intersection is of finite character. A domain is said to be almost weakly factorial if for each nonzero \(d\in D\), there is an integer \(n=n(d) \geq 1\) such that \(d^n\) can be written as a finite product of primary elements of \(D\). The article is very concisely written and there are diagrams showing the relationship between many of the properties investigated in the article.