Some results on weakly normal ring extensions (Q790887)

Let \(A\subset B\) be an integral extension and let \({}^*\!_ BA\) consist of all \(b\in B\) such that for any \(p\in Spec(A)\) there is a positive integer n with \((b/1)^{e^ n}\in A_ p+J(B_ p),\) where e is the characteristic exponent of k(p). We call A weakly normal in B if \(A=^*\!_ BA\). In this paper the author studies the properties of weakly normal rings that mimick those known in the literature for seminormal rings. In particular he proves stability under faithfully flat descent and deduces several local global properties. It also appears that if A is noetherian and B is finite over A, then for A weakly normal in B we may find a sequence of subrings of B of the form \(B=B_ 0\supset B_ 1\supset...\supset B_ n=A\) such that \(B_{i+1}\) is the so-called ''weak gluing'' of \(B_ i\) over a prime ideal of A. Finally, the author shows how these weak gluings are connected with the \((S_ 2)\) property of Serre. In particular he deduces that if B is noetherian and finite over A, then, if A is weakly normal in B and if (i) a prime divisor in A of the conductor I of A in B has \(height\quad>1\) and (ii) I contains a regular element of B, then A does not have \((S_ 2)\).