No label defined (Q4370122)

For an atomic integral domain \(D\) and nonzero nonunit \(x\in D\), set \[ \begin{aligned} \rho_D(x)&= \sup\{m/n\mid\\ &\quad\;\exists \text{ irreducible }x_1,\dots,x_n,y_1,\dots, y_m\text{ of \(D\) such that }x=x_1\cdots x_n=y_1\cdots y_m\},\\ \text{and} \rho(D)&= \sup\{\rho_D(x)\mid x\text{ is a nonzero nonunit of }D\}. \end{aligned} \] The constant \(\rho(D)\) is known as the elasticity of \(D\). Definition. Let \(G\) be a nonzero finite abelian group and \(T= \{g_1,\dots, g_k\}\) be any nonempty sequence of not necessarily distinct nonzero elements of \(G\). Then \(T\) is called a system in \(G\) if \(\sum_{i=1}^k g_i=0\). A system \(T\) is a minimal system if it contains no proper subsystems. Definition. Let \(G\) be a nonzero finite abelian group. The Davenport constant of \(G\), denoted by \(D(G)\), is the longest length of a minimal system in \(G\). -- For completeness, we set \(D(\{0\})=1\). Another invariant of a finite abelian group arises from the study of systems. Let \(G\) be a nonzero finite abelian group and \(T= \{g_1,\dots, D_k\}\) be a system in \(G\). Set \(k(T)= \sum_{i=1}^k \frac{1}{|g_i|}\). We shall refer to \(k(T)\) as the weight of the system \(S\). Hence, if \(T\) is a minimal system of \(G\), then \(k(T)\leq \frac{D(G)}{2}\). Setting \({\mathcal U}(G)= \{T\mid T\) is a minimal system in \(G\}\) and \(\exp(G)= \text{LCM} \{|g|\mid g\in G\}\), allows us to make the following definition. Definition. Let \(G\) be a nonzero finite abelian group. Set \[ K(G)=\exp(G)\cdot \max\{k(T)\mid T\in{\mathcal U}(G)\}. \] \(K(G)\) is called the cross number of \(G\). While our interest in factorization problems is rooted in the study of ring theory, it is of interest to note that factorization problems in a Krull domain \(D\) are merely combinatorial problems in the semigroup of nonzero elements of \(D\). We relate factorization in a Krull domain \(D\) to the arithmetic of a block semigroup. If \(f:H\to H'\) is a length-preserving homomorphism, then clearly \(\rho(H)= \rho(H')\). Let \(D\) be a Krull domain and \(D^*\) the set of nonzero nonunits of \(D\). Define \(\pi(x)=[ P_1] \cdots[ P_k]\), \(x\in D^*\), where \(xD= (P_1\cdots P_k)_\nu\) for \(P_1,\dots, P_k\) height-one primes of \(D\). The factorization properties of \(D\) are similar to those of the block semigroup over \(D^*\). In particular, \(\rho(D)= \rho(D^*)\). For the entire collection see [Zbl 0872.00033].