A realization result for systems of sets of lengths (Q2143228)

Let \(D\) be an integral domain or a monoid and \(a\in D\) be nonzero. A positive integer \(k\) is a \emph{factorization length} of \(a\) if there are irreducible elements \(u_1,\ldots,u_k\) of \(D\) such that \(a=u_1\cdots u_k\); the set of all factorization lengths is denoted by \(\mathsf{L}(a)\). The set \(\mathcal{L}(D)\) of all \(\mathsf{L}(a)\), as \(a\) ranges in \(D\) (the \emph{system of sets of lengths} of \(D\)) is a useful way to study the non-uniqueness of factorization in \(D\). It always satisfies two conditions: \begin{itemize} \item[1.] \(\{0\},\{1\}\in\mathcal{L}(D)\), and all other sets of \(\mathcal{L}(D)\) are contained in \(\mathbb{N}_{\geq 2}\); \item[2.] if \(L_1,L_2\in\mathcal{L}(D)\), then \(L_1+L_2\subseteq L_3\) for some \(L_3\in\mathcal{L}(D)\). \end{itemize} (Here \(L_1+L_2=\{l_1+l_2\mid l_1\in L_1,l_2\in L_2\}\) is the sumset of \(L_1\) and \(L_2\).) There are several examples where every finite subset of \(\mathbb{N}_{\geq 2}\) is in \(\mathcal{L}(D)\) (for example some ring of integer-valued polynomials, cf. [\textit{S. Frisch}, Monatsh. Math. 171, No. 3--4, 341--350 (2013; Zbl 1282.13004)]. It is not known which families \(\mathcal{L}^\ast\) with the previous properties arise as systems of sets of lengths. In this paper, the authors prove that, if \(\mathcal{L}^\ast\) is a family of finite subsets that satisfies the previous conditions and that is closed by sumsets (i.e., such that \(L_1+L_2\in\mathcal{L}^\ast\) if \(L_1,L_2\in\mathcal{L}^\ast\)) then there are a Krull monoid \(H\) and a Dedekind domain \(D\) such that \(\mathcal{L}(H)=\mathcal{L}^\ast=\mathcal{L}(D)\). The proof of the monoid case is obtained in two steps. The first step involves constructing, from an arbitrary finite subset \(L\subset\mathbb{N}_{\geq 2}\), a Krull monoid \(H\) whose atoms have some specific properties, and such that \(\mathcal{L}(H)\) contains exactly \(\{0\}\), \(\{1\}\) and the sets \(\{y+nL\mid y,n\in\mathbb{N}_0\}\); the second step consists of applying this construction to the indecomposable elements of \(\mathcal{L}^\ast\) (which, under the working hypothesis, is a semigroup), and then take the disjoint union of these monoids. The result of the domain case is obtained from the monoid case by the use of a transfer homomorphism.