The Gabriel-Roiter measure. (Q2581303)

The article shows the relevance of the Gabriel-Roiter measure for Artin algebras of infinite representation type. Let \(\Lambda\) be an Artin algebra, we consider only right modules. The Gabriel-Roiter measure is an invariant \(\mu(M)\) attached to a \(\Lambda\)-module \(M\) (not necessarily finitely generated), depending only on the submodule lattice of \(M\). It may be considered as a real number betweeen 0 and 1, and it is rational for finitely generated \(M\). The Gabriel-Roiter measure was introduced by Gabriel, for finitely generated modules, in 1973, in connection with the induction scheme used by Roiter in his proof of the first Brauer-Thrall conjecture. Say that \(r\) is a Gabriel-Roiter measure for \(\Lambda\) if there are indecomposable finitely generated \(\Lambda\)-modules \(M\) with \(\mu(M)=r\). The main result is that if \(\Lambda\) is of infinite representation type then there are Gabriel-Roiter measures \(r_t,r^t\), \(t=1,2,\dots,n,\dots\), for \(\Lambda\) such that \[ r_1<r_2<\cdots<r_t<\cdots<r^t<\cdots<r^2<r^1 \] and any other Gabriel-Roiter measure \(r\) for \(\Lambda\) satisfies \(r_t<r<r^t\), for any natural number \(t\). Moreover, given \(t\), there are only finitely many isomorphism classes of indecomposable finitely generated modules \(M\) with \(\mu(M)=r_t\) or \(\mu(M)=r^t\). A detailed analysis of the category of \(\Lambda\)-modules in terms of the Gabriel-Roiter measure is provided and supported by natural examples. In particular, the indecomposable \(\Lambda\)-modules split into three classes: the take-off (resp. the landing) part consisting of modules with Gabriel-Roiter measure \(r_t\) (resp. \(r^t\)), for some \(t\) and the rest -- the central part. In the case of the Kronecker algebra the take-off and the landing parts coincide with the classes of preprojective and preinjective modules, respectively. The stratification by Gabriel-Roiter measure together with the dual concept of the comeasure yield an interesting ``rhombic picture'' of the module category. Moreover, two new proofs of the first Brauer-Thrall conjecture are presented.