Direct decomposition theory under near-isomorphism for a class of infinite rank torsion-free abelian groups (Q516391)

The authors define a class \(\mathcal B\) of countable torsion-free abelian groups which are a wide generalization of the known class of block rigid cyclic regulator quotient groups. Groups in the latter class are classified up to near isomorphism by a system of cardinal invariants. By redefining near isomorphism, the authors are able to extend the invariants to apply to the class \(\mathcal B\) and show that groups are nearly isomorphic if and only if they have the same invariants. In that case, they share their decomposition properties. This paper is a noteworthy advance in torsion-free abelian group theory. The main results are criteria for a group \(B\) in \(\mathcal B\) to be indecomposable, and conditions on the invariants which imply that \(B\) has an indecomposable direct decomposition of a special form, a generalisation of the main decomposition of finite rank groups.