Prime factor rings of skew polynomial rings over a commutative Dedekind domain. (Q1945739)

Let \(D\) be a commutative Dedekind domain, \(\sigma\) an automorphism of \(D\) with the quotient field \(K\), and \(R=D[x;\sigma]\) the skew polynomial ring over \(D\). Let \(\text{Spec}(R)\) be the set of prime ideals of \(R\) and \(\text{Spec}_0(R)=\{P\in\text{Spec}(R)\mid P\cap D=(0)\}\). The authors study the factor ring \(R/P\) for a minimal prime ideal \(P\) of \(R\). Theorem. Let \(P \in\text{Spec}(R)\). Then, (1) \(P\) is a minimal prime ideal of \(R\) if and only if either \(P=p[x;\sigma]\) where \(p\) is either a non-zero \(\sigma\)-prime ideal of \(D\) or \(P\in\text{Spec}_0(R)\) with \(P\neq (0)\). (2) If \(P=p[x;\sigma]\) where \(p\) is a non-zero \(\sigma\)-prime ideal of \(D\), then \(R/P\) is a hereditary prime ring. In particular, \(R/P\) is a Dedekind prime ring if and only if \(p\) is a prime ideal of \(D\). (3) If \(P\in\text{Spec}_0(R)\) with \(P=xR\), then \(R/P\) is a Dedekind prime ring. In particular, if the order of \(\sigma\) is infinite, then \(P=xR\) is the only minimal prime ideal belonging to \(\text{Spec}_0(R)\). (4) If \(P\in\text{Spec}_0(R)\) with \(P\neq xR\) and \(P\neq (0)\), then \(R/P\) is a hereditary prime ring if and only if \(P\) is not contained in \(M^2\) for any maximal ideal \(M\) of \(R\). -- Moreover, some examples of minimal prime ideals \(P\) are given such that \(R/P\) is not hereditary or hereditary or Dedekind, respectively.