Integral domains and the IDF property (Q2097259)

Let \(D\) be a commutative domain. Following P. M. Cohn, we say \(D\) is \textbf{atomic} if every non-zero non-unit has an \textbf{atomic factorization}, that is, it can be written as a (finite) product of \textbf{atoms} (i.e., of non-units that do not factor as a product of two non-units). In particular, \(D\) is an \textbf{FF-domain} if it is atomic and every non-zero non-unit has, up to associates and the order of the factors, finitely many atomic factorizations. On the other hand, \(D\) is an \textbf{IDF-domain} if every non-zero element is divided, up to associates, by finitely many atoms; and is \textbf{MCD-finite} if every non-empty finite subset of non-zero elements has, up to associates, finitely many \emph{maximal} common divisors. IDF-domains were first studied by \textit{A. Grams} and \textit{H. Warner} [Duke Math. J. 42, 271--284 (1975; Zbl 0349.13006)], and it was proved by \textit{D. D. Anderson} et al. in Theorem 5.1 of [J. Pure Appl. Algebra 69, No. 1, 1--19 (1990; Zbl 0727.13007)] that \(D\) is an atomic IDF-domain if and only if it is an FF-domain. In Question 2 of the latter paper, the Anderson brothers and Zafrullah also asked if the IDF property ascends to polynomial rings; and in Theorem 2.5 of [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 137, No. 2, 431--437 (2009; Zbl 1180.13025)], \textit{P. Malcolmson} and \textit{F. Okoh} answered the question in the negative. However, negative turns to positive for interesting classes of commutative domains, including GCD-domains (as proved by Malcolmson and Okoh themselves in Theorem 1.9 of their paper) and, more generally, MCD-finite domains (as proved by \textit{S. Eftekhari} and \textit{M. R. Khorsandi} [Commun. Algebra 46, No. 9, 3865--3872 (2018; Zbl 1395.13020), Theorem 2.1]). In the paper under review, the authors investigate if certain properties related to IDFness are preserved under various standard algebraic constructions, namely, polynomial rings, the classical ``\(D+M\) construction'' from Appendix II of [\textit{R. Gilmer}, ``Multiplicative ideal theory'', Queen's Papers in Pure Appl. Math. 12, Queen's Univ. Press (1968)], and localizations. More precisely, the authors focus their attention on the case where \(D\) is either what they call a \textbf{TIDF-domain} (i.e., a commutative IDF-domain where every non-unit is divisible by an atom) or a \textbf{PIDF-domain} (i.e., a commutative domain such that the set of atoms dividing a non-zero element or any of its powers is finite up to associates). The authors note that PIDF-domains were introduced by \textit{P. Malcolmson} and \textit{F. Okoh} [Houston J. Math. 32, No. 2, 399--421 (2006; Zbl 1095.13018)]; and that TIDF-domains are a subclass of \textbf{Furstenberg domains}, that is, commutative domains where every non-unit is divisibile by an atom (the terminology is borrowed from [\textit{P. L. Clark}, Am. Math. Mon. 124, No. 3, 198--216 (2017; Zbl 1391.13035)]).