Minimal modules over valuation domains (Q555963)

Let \(R\) be a valuation domain and \(G\) an \(R\)-module. The authors define a submodule \(H\) of \(G\) as having finite index if \(G/H\) is a finitely presented torsion module. They then go on to define a minimal \(R\)-module as one which is torsion-free and isomorphic to all of its submodules of finite index. The article investigate the property of being a minimal module in a number of instances. For example, it is shown that if \(R\) is a maximal valuation domain, then all torsion-free \(R\) modules are minimal. It is also shown that over any valuation domain torsion-free modules with basic rank 1 are necessarily minimal. Furthermore, different classes of modules over noetherian or over Nagata valuation domains are shown to be minimal. On the negative side they construct families of torsion-free modules that are not minimal. They also show that the direct sum of minimal modules may fail to be minimal.