Picard groups and torsion-free cancellation for orders in \(\mathbb Z \times \mathbb Z \times \mathbb Z\) (Q261658)

Let \(R\) be a subring of \(\Gamma = \mathbb{Z} \times \mathbb{Z} \times \mathbb{Z}\) containing \(\mathbb{Z}\) (under diagonal inclusion) so that \(R\) has rank \(3\) as a \(\mathbb{Z}\)-module (i.e. a \(\mathbb{Z}\)-order of \(\Gamma\)). In the article under consideration, the author studies when \(R\) has torsion-free cancellation, i.e. for finitely generated torsion-free \(R\)-modules, \(M,N,C\), when does \(M \oplus C \cong N \oplus C\) imply \(M \cong N\). The author's main result (Thm. 7.2) states that for \(R \neq \mathbb{Z} + (4,6,12)\Gamma\), torsion-free cancellation holds if and only if \(\mathrm{Pic}(R)\) is trivial. Let \(\mathfrak{f} = (R:\Gamma)\) be the conductor ideal. Direct application of corollary 2.4 in [\textit{R. Wiegand}, J. Algebra 88, 438--459 (1984; Zbl 0539.13006)] to this situation gives the following conditions for cancellation : it occurs when \(\Gamma ^*\) surjects onto \((\Gamma/\mathfrak{f})^*\) and does not occur when \(\mathrm{Pic}(R)\) is non-trivial. Further, using the Mayer-Vietoris sequence connecting the Picard groups and groups of units, it also follows that in the first case (units lift) \(\mathrm{Pic}(R)\) is trivial. When \(R\) is a \(p\)-order (i.e. \( \mathfrak{f} \cap \mathbb{Z}\) is generated by a power of \(p\)), the author uses the classification theorem in [\textit{Yu. A. Drozd} and \textit{R. V. Skuratovskii}, Ukr. Mat. Zh. 62, No. 4, 464--470 (2010; Zbl 1224.13005)] to explicitly obtain \(\mathfrak{f}\). The author then uses this explicit form to analyze \((\Gamma /\mathfrak{f} )^*\) for a general order \(R\). This analysis together with the Mayer-Vietoris sequence yields numeric conditions on the conductor ideal under which the Picard group of \(R\) is non-trivial (``most cases'') or the units lift. In the one remaining case, the author makes explicit computations (and use of results in [\textit{R. Wiegand}, J. Algebra 88, 438--459 (1984; Zbl 0539.13006)]) to complete the proof of the main theorem. The author also conjectures that when \(R = \mathbb{Z} + (4,6,12)\Gamma\), torsion-free cancellation does hold and provides a sketch of how to attack the conjecture.