Rational Elasticity of Factorizations in Krull Domains (Q4032499)

Let \(\Gamma\) be an additive, cancellative monoid with \(\Gamma^*=\Gamma\backslash\{0\}\). A function \(f:\Gamma\to\mathbb{R}_ +\) is called a semilength function if (1) \(f(x+y)=f(x)+f(y)\) for all \(x,y\in\Gamma\) and (2) \(f(x)>0\) for all \(x\in\Gamma^*\). Given two semilength functions \(f\) and \(g\) on \(\Gamma\), define \(\varphi(f,g)=\varphi:\Gamma^*\to\mathbb{R}_ +\) by \(\varphi(x)=f(x)/g(x)\) for all \(x\in\Gamma^*\). Let \(L(\Gamma,\varphi)=\sup\{\varphi(x)\mid x\in\Gamma^*\}\) and \(l(\Gamma,\varphi)=\inf\{\varphi(x)\mid x\in\Gamma^*\}\). Then the authors first show theorem 4: Let \(\Gamma\) be an additive submonoid of \(\mathbb{Z}^ k_ +\), \(f\) and \(g\) be semilength functions on \(\Gamma\), and \(\varphi=\varphi(f,g)\). If \(y- x\in\Gamma\) for all \(x,y\in\Gamma\) with \(x\leq y\), then \(L(\Gamma,\varphi)=\varphi(x_ 0)\) and \(l(\Gamma,\varphi)=\varphi(y_ 0)\) for some \(x_ 0\), \(y_ 0\in\Gamma^*\). Thus, if \(f\) and \(g\) are each rational-valued, \(L(\Gamma,\varphi)\) and \(l(\Gamma,\varphi)\) are each positive rational numbers. An integral domain is atomic if each nonzero nonunit is a product of irreducible elements. Now, define the elasticity of an atomic domain \(R\) as \(\rho(R)=\sup\{m/n\mid x_ 1\cdots x_ m=y_ 1\cdots y_ n\) for \(x_ i,y_ j\in R\) irreducibles\}. Further, define \(l_ R(x)=\inf\{m\mid x=x_ 1\dots x_ m\) with \(x_ i\in R\) irreducible\} and \(L_ R(x)=\sup\{m\mid x=x_ 1\dots x_ m\) with \(x_ i\in R\) irreducible\}. Finally, let \(\bar l_ R(x)=\lim_{n\to\infty}l_ R(x^ n)/n\) and \(\bar L_ R(x)=\lim_{n\to\infty}L_ R(x^ n)/n\). Then, applying theorem 4, the authors answer affirmatively two rationality conjectures about factorizations: Theorem 10. Let \(R\) be a Krull domain such that only a finite number of divisor classes contains prime ideals. Then \(\rho(R)\) is rational. Theorem 13. Let \(R\) be a Krull domain and \(x\in R^*\) a nonunit. Then \(\bar l_ R(x)\) and \(\bar L_ R(x)\) are each positive rational numbers.