Almost principal ideals in \(\mathrm R[x]\) (Q1925587)

Let \(R\) be an integral domain with quotient field \(K\). A nonzero ideal \(J\) of \(R[X]\) is \textit{almost principal} if there exist a nonzero element \(r\in R\) and a polynomial \(f(X)\in R[X]\) of positive degree such that \(rJ\subseteq fR[X]\). An \textit{upper-type ideal of \(R[X]\)} is an ideal of the form \(I_f = f (X)K[X]\cap R[X]\) for some polynomial \(f(X) \in K[X]\setminus K\); moreover, \(f(X)\) can be chosen from \(R[X]\). An \textit{upper to zero} ideal of \(R[X]\) is a prime upper-type ideal. The domain \(R[X]\) is \textit{almost principal} if each nonzero ideal of \(R[X]\) is almost principal. As shown in this paper, \(R[X]\) is almost principal iff each upper-type (equivalently, upper to zero) ideal of \(R[X]\) is almost principal. In this paper the author deals with the questions when an upper-type ideal of \(R[X]\) is almost principal, and when the polynomial ring \(R[X]\) is almost principal. The author views the following two results as mega theorems: \(\bullet\) Let \(I_f\) be an upper-type ideal of \(R[X]\). If there is a nonzero ideal \(B\) of \(R\) such that C\((f)\)C\((h)\subseteq (B:B)\) for all \(h(X)\in K[X]\) such that \(fh\in I_f\) , then \(I_f\) is almost principal (here C denotes content over \(R\)). \(\bullet\) Let \(T\) be an overring of \(R\) such that \((R : T)\neq (0)\). Then an upper-type ideal \(I_f\) of \(R[X]\) is almost principal iff its extension to \(T[X]\) is almost principal iff the ideal \(f(X)K[X]\cap T[X]\) of \(T[X]\) is almost principal. Using these two theorems and some additional tools, the author presents several applications. For example, he proves that \(R[X]\) is an almost principal ideal domain under each of the following conditions: \(R\) is seminormal; the integral closure of \(R\) is Prüfer; \(R[X]\) is Mori, etc. I quote: ``With regard to examples of almost principal ideals, we know of none where this status cannot be established using the basic tools we present in Sect. 2 together with the ``applications'' in Sect. 3.''