Power-closed ideals of polynomial and Laurent polynomial rings (Q6597174)

This article introduces power closed ideals in polynomial and Laurent polynomial rings in the variables \(x_1, \ldots, x_n\). The authors define an ideal \(I\) to be power closed if for all \(f(x_1, \ldots, x_n) \in I\), then \(f(x_1^i, \ldots x_n^i) \in I\) for all \(i \in \mathbb{N}\). Monomial ideals and toric ideals are among the class of power closed.\N\NUsing typical constructions of closure and interior operations, the authors define the power closure, \(I^{(*)}\), of an ideal \(I\) to be the intersecion of power closed ideal of \(R\) containing \(I\) and the power interior, \(I^o\), of \(I\), to be the sum of all power closed ideal contained in \(I\).\N\NThe authors show that if \(I=(f_1, \ldots, f_r)\) is an ideal of a polynomial ring and \(\lambda(f_i)\) is the number of terms in \(f_i\), then \(I^{(*)}\) is generated by the \(f_i(x_1^j, \ldots, x_n^j)\) for \(1 \leq j \leq \lambda(f_i)\) for all \(1 \leq i \leq r\). This explicit description of the power closure is used to show that there are ideals \(I\) and \(J\) so that \(I^{(*)} \cap J^{(*)}\) properly contains \((I \cap J)^{(*)}.\) There are also ideals \(I\) and \(J\) so that \((I+J)^o\) properly contains \(I^o +J^o\).\N\NThe authors give a complete characterization of power closed ideals in a (Laurent) polynomial ring in one variable. They further characterize all principal power closed ideals in any (Laurent) polynomial ring. They conclude the paper showing that \((\sqrt I)^{(*)} \subseteq \sqrt{I^{(*)}}\) and give an example that this containment can be proper.