Rank functions on rings (Q752142)

A (projective) rank function on a ring R is a homomorphism of pre-ordered groups, \(\rho\) : \(K_ 0(R)\to {\mathbb{R}}\), the additive group of real numbers, such that \(\rho ([R])=1\). Such a rank function exists if and only if the ring has UGN \((=\) unbounded generating number), that is, for every natural number n there is a finitely generated R-module that requires at least n generators. This condition, due to \textit{K. R. Goodearl} and \textit{D. Handelman} [J. Pure Appl. Algebra 7, 195-216 (1976; Zbl 0321.16009)] can be stated as \(g(R^ n)=n\) where g(P) denotes the least possible number of elements in a generating set of a finitely generated projective module P. The present author obtains the above result as a special case of a study of rank functions in a much wider context. Starting with a commutative, additively written monoid S, he considers nonzero mappings from S to \({\mathbb{R}}^+\), the nonnegative real numbers. Such a map f is called a functional, it is said to be convex if \(f(x)\leq f(x+y)\leq f(x)+f(y)\) for all x,y\(\in S\), and sublinear, if it also satisfies \(f(nx)=nf(x)\) for any natural number n and any x in S. Finally, f is linear if \(f(x+y)=f(x)+f(y)\). A convex functional is shown to always have a sublinear regularization \(f^*(x)=\lim (f(nx)/n)\) that is majorized by f. The basic result, a Hahn-Banach Theorem, states that for any sublinear functional p on S, linear on a submonoid T, there exists a linear functional \(\lambda\) on S that agrees with p on T and is majorized by p. The author then considers the special case of a conical monoid (meaning that \(x+y=0\) implies \(x=0)\) with a strong unit u (meaning that for any x in S there is an \(x'\) with \(x+x'=nu\) for some natural number n). Linear functionals on S that map u to 1 are called states, and a sublinear functional f satisfying \(f(mx+nu)=mf(x)+n\) for all \(x\in S\) and all natural numbers m and n, is said to be a substate. The above Hahn-Banach Theorem shows easily that the supremum of any family of states is a substate, and conversely that any substate is the supremum of all the states it majorizes. Now on S a pre-ordering can be defined by setting \(x\leq y\) iff \(x+t+z=y+z\) for some t,z\(\in S\), and it is shown that the condition ``mu\(\leq nu\) implies \(m\leq n''\) is necessary and sufficient for the existence of states and substates, and hence of a (unique) maximal substate on S. For a ring R the monoid \({\mathcal S}(R)\) of isomorphism classes of finitely generated projective R-modules with \(\oplus\) as addition is a conical monoid with [R] as a strong unit, and rank functions on R are the same as states on \({\mathcal S}(R)\). The above condition for the existence of states is then equivalent to R having UGN. An explicit description of the largest substate \(\gamma\) on \({\mathcal S}(R)\) (called the maximal pseudo-rank function or prank function on R) can be given as \(\gamma =\bar g^*\), the regularization of the stable generating number \(\bar g(P)=\lim \{g(P\oplus R^ n)-n\}\), it is the supremum of all the rank functions on R. This interesting paper concludes with a discussion of the special role of Sylvester rank functions.