Finitistic weak dimension of commutative arithmetical rings (Q1925584)

A unitary commutative ring \(R\) is said to be arithmetical if, for its every maximal ideal \(P\), the localization \(R_P\) is a chain ring (ideals are linearly ordered by inclusion). Weak dimension of an \(R\)-module \(M\) w.d.(\(M\))\(\leq n\) if, for every \(R\)-module \(N\), \(\mathrm{Tor}^R_{n+1}(M,N)=0\). Finitistic weak dimension f.w.d(\(R\)) is the supremum of w.d.(\(M\)) where \(M\) ranges over all \(R\)-modules of finite weak dimension. A ring \(R\) is semi-coherent if, for all injective \(R\)-modules \(E, F\), Hom\(_R(E,F)\) is a submodule of a flat \(R\)-module. \(R\) is an IF-ring (also called semi-regular) if each injective \(R\)-module is flat. The author's main result is as follows: Theorem 2. Let \(R\) be a chain ring. Then (1) f.w.d(R)=0 if \(R\) is an IF ring; (2) f.w.d(R)=1 if \(R\) is semicoherent and not IF; (3) f.w.d(R)=2 if \(R\) is not semicoherent. Moreover, an \(R\)-module \(M\) has finite weak dimension iff \(Z\otimes_RM\) is flat. An immediate consequence is: Theorem 1. If \(R\) is an arithmetical ring, then (1) f.w.d(R)=0 if \(R\) is locally IF; (2) f.w.d(R)=1 if \(R\) is locally semicoherent and not locally IF; (3) f.w.d(R)=2 if \(R\) is not locally semicoherent. The author believes that proving a similar result for more general Gaussian rings would be more difficult.