Maximal non-integrally closed subrings of an integral domain (Q6081935)

Let \(R\subset S\) be an extension of integral domains. The pair \((R,S)\)\ is called normal pair if each intermediate ring \(T\), \(R\subseteq T\subseteq S\), is integrally closed in \(S\). The domain \(R\) is called a maximal non-integrally closed subring of \(S\) if \(R\) is not integrally closed in \(S\), whereas each subring of \(S\) strictly containing \(R\) is integrally closed in \( S\). The study of such domains has been initiated for the case where \(S\) is the field of quotients of \(R\) in [\textit{A. Jaballah}, J. Algebra Appl. 11, No. 5, 1250041, 18 p. (2012; Zbl 1259.13004)]. The aim of this paper is to investigate these domains when \(S\) is not necessarily the field of quotients of \(R\). The main result Theorem 3.4 states that when \(R\) is not a field, it is a maximal non-integrally closed subring of \(S\), iff the integral closure \(\overline{ R_{S}}\) of \(R\) in \(S\) is the unique minimal overring of \(R\) in \(S\) and \(( \overline{R_{S}},S)\) is a normal pair, iff \(R\subset \overline{R_{S}}\) is a minimal extension, \((\overline{R_{S}},S)\) is a normal pair and \(R=R_{M}\cap S \), where \(M=(R:\overline{R_{S}})\). \textit{R. Gilmer} and \textit{W. J. Heinzer} asked in [J. Math. Kyoto Univ. 7, 133--150 (1967; Zbl 0166.30601)] which domains admit a unique minimal overring. Theorem 3.4 answers this question in the case where \((\overline{R_{S}},S)\) is a normal pair.