On representable linearly compact modules (Q5890476)

Let \(M,F\) denote an arbitrary (respectively a flat) \(R\)-module, where \(R\) denotes a commutative ring. The main result of the paper is to show that \(\text{Hom}_R(F,\cdot)\) is closed with respect to representable, linearly compact modules. That is, \(\text{Hom}_R(F,M)\) is a representable, linearly compact \(R\)-module, provided \(M\) is so. This answers affirmatively Melkersson's question [see \textit{L. Melkersson}, Math. Scand. 77, 197-208 (1995; Zbl 0867.13006)], where he posed the problem under the additional assumption that \(M\) is of finite Goldie dimension. The second purpose of the paper is the extension of Melkersson's and the reviewer's results [see \textit{L. Melkersson} and \textit{P. Schenzel}, Proc. Edinb. Math. Soc. 38, 121-131 (1995; Zbl 0824.13011)]\ about co-localizations. In particular, the authors show that \(\text{ Hom}_R(F, M)\) admits a secondary representation for \(M\) a representable, linearly compact \(R\)-module. The set of attached prime ideals is explicitly described in the case of \(F=R_S,\) \(S\) a multiplicatively closed subset in \(R\). The basic idea for the authors' generalization is the fact that \(\text{Hom}_R(F,M)\), \(M\) linearly compact, carries a linear topology derived from a direct system \(\{F_t\}\) of free \(R\)-modules of finite type such that its direct limit is isomorphic to \(F\).