\(K_0\)-like constructions for almost completely decomposable groups (Q1810540)

In the category \(\mathcal A\) of torsion-free Abelian groups of finite rank a number of equivalences are being considered. There is `ordinary isomorphism', \(A\cong B\), there is `multiple isomorphism', \(A\cong_{mult}B\) which means that \(A^n\cong B^n\) for all integers \(n>1\), there is `stable isomorphism', \(A\cong_{st}B\) which means that \(A\oplus C\cong B\oplus C\) for some \(C\in{\mathcal A}\), and there is `near-isomorphism', \(A\cong_{nr}B\) which means that \(A^n\cong B^n\) for some positive integer \(n\). Valid implications are \(A\cong B\Rightarrow A\cong_{mult}B\Rightarrow A\cong_{st}B\Rightarrow A\cong_{nr}B\). The well-known \(K_0\) group is obtained by defining on the set of stable isomorphism classes \([A]\) the addition \([A]+[B]:=[A\oplus B]\), and adding differences \([A]-[B]\) (which can be done). The authors instead use equivalence classes, also denoted \([A]\), of multiply isomorphic groups. They define the `Archimedean component' of \(A\), \(\text{Arch}(A)\), to consist of all multiple isomorphism classes \([B]\) such that \(B\) is a direct summand of some power \(A^m\) of \(A\), and \(A\) is a direct summand of some power \(B^n\) of \(B\). If so, differences \([B]-[C]\) can be adjoined to \(\text{Arch}(A)\) to obtain a group \(G(A)\). The maximal torsion subgroup of \(G(A)\) is then \(T=\{[A]-[B]:A\cong_{nr}B\}\) and \(T_0:=\{[A]-[B]:A\cong_{st}B\}\) is a subgroup of \(T\). These groups can be used as a measure of the difference between the various equivalence relations. Furthermore \(G(A)\) is finitely generated. These results appeared in an earlier paper by the authors [Contemp. Math 273, 39-49 (2001; Zbl 0988.20040)]. The main result of the present paper is Theorem 5. Let \(S\) be a finitely generated Abelian group and \(S_t\) its maximal torsion subgroup. Then there exists an almost completely decomposable group \(A\) such that \(G(A)\) contains \(S\) and the maximal torsion subgroup of \(G(A)\) is equal to \(S_t\). In case the number of isomorphism classes of primary cyclic summands of \(S_t\) is less than or equal to the rank of \(S/S_t\), then there is such an \(A\) with \(G(A)=S\). -- This is an interesting, readable paper.