Precovers and preenvelopes under change of rings. (Q908257)

This paper investigates the relationship between the existence of precovers and preenvelopes in the category of right \(R\)-modules and in various categories induced by a ring homomorphism \(R\to S\). In particular, results on the existence of precovers and preenvelopes under the functors \(\Hom_R(S,-)\), \(\Hom_R(-,S)\) and \(-\otimes_RS\) are obtained. From these results, the behaviour of cotorsion (injective) precovers and preenvelopes under change of rings, as well as properties of flat (FP-injective) precovers and preenvelopes under localization of rings follow. In the final section, restrictions are placed on the \(R\)-homomorphism \(R\to S\), such as surjectivity or being an (almost) excellent extension. Again results on the preservation of precovers and preenvelopes are obtained as well as on preservation of the restrictive property.