Algebraic radicals and incidence algebras. (Q704977)

Let \(I(X,R)\) denote the incidence algebra of the locally finite partially ordered set \(X\) over the ring \(R\) (with identity). The objective of this paper is to describe the elements in the upper nilradical of \(I(X,R)\). Any \(f\in I(X,R)\) can be decomposed as \(f=f_D+f_U\) where \(f_D(x,x)=f(x,x)\) and \(f_U(x,y)=f(x,y)\) for \(x\neq y\) in \(X\). An element \(f\in I(X,R)\) has the `strong product property' if there is a positive integer \(k\) such that any chain \(x_1\leq y_1<x_2\leq y_2<\cdots<x_n\leq y_n\) with \(n\geq k\) implies \(f(x_1,y_1)Rf(x_2,y_2)R\cdots Rf(x_n,y_n)=0\). At first the functions \(f\) which satisfy the strong product property are described. This is then used to obtain the main result which states that a function \(f\) is in the upper nilradical of \(I(X,R)\) if and only if \(f_D\) is in the upper nilradical of the direct product of \(|X|\)-copies of the ring \(R\) and \(f\) has the direct product property. It is shown that a similar result holds for algebraic radicals.