Semigroup algebras and direct sums of domains (Q804680)

Let K be a field and S a commutative semigroup. Assume the semigroup algebra KS has an identity. The authors prove the following (Th. 2.3): Let char K\(=p\geq 0\). Then the semigroup algebra KS is a direct sum of domains iff the following three conditions hold: (1) S is p-separative, (2) S has a chain of ideals \(S=S_ 0\supset S_ 1\supset...\supset S_ m\) with \(S_ m=\emptyset\) for S without zero or \(S_ m=\{\theta \}\) in the case of \(\theta\) being the zero of S and with all factors \(S_{i- 1}/S_ i\) being (finite group \(H_ i)\)-by-(torsion free cancellative) monoids, and (3) for any primitive idempotent \(e\in KH_ i\) and \(x,y\in (S_{i-1}/S_ i)\setminus \{\theta \}\), \(exy=0\) holds iff \(ex=0\) or \(ey=0\). An example is given which shows that there exist field extensions L/K such that KS is a direct sum of domains while LS is not. Also, a number of corollaries and applications of this main result are given. E.g., for a torsion free semigroup S and a field K necessary and sufficient conditions for KG to be a Gaussian ring (Th. 3.2), a Krull order (Cor. 3.4) or a hereditary Noetherian ring (Th. 3.1) are proved in this paper.