The total coordinate ring of a normal projective variety (Q1886825)

Consider a connected Noetherian normal scheme~\(X\), and Weil divisors \(D_1, \ldots D_r\) on~\(X\). The authors study the associated \({\mathbb Z}^r\)-graded ring \(R\), having as its homogeneous components the modules of global sections \(\Gamma(X,{\mathcal O}(D))\), where \(D = a_1D_1 + \dots+ a_rD_r\) with \(a \in {\mathbb Z}^r\). A main result of the paper says that \(R\) is a unique factorization domain, provided that \(D_1, \dots, D_r\) generate the divisor class group of~\(X\). For a related statement in the setting of varieties, see Prop. 8.4 in [\textit{F. Berchtold} and \textit{J. Hausen}, J. Algebra 266, No. 2, 636--670 (2003; Zbl 1073.14001)].