I-COMPACT RIGHT CHAIN DOMAINS

Abstract

Generalizing the concept of convergency to valued fields, Ostrowski in the 1930s introduced pseudo-convergent sequences. In the present paper we classify pseudo-convergent sequences in right chain domains R according to the prime ideal P associated to the breadth I of the sequence using an ideal theory developed for right cones in groups. The ring R is I-compact if every pseudo-convergent sequence in R with breadth I has a limit in R, and we construct right chain domains R which are I-compact only for right ideals I in particular subsets [Formula: see text] of the set of all right ideals of R. Krull's perfect valuation rings and then Ribenboim's notion of a valuation ring complete par étages, where [Formula: see text] is the minimal set containing the completely prime ideals in a commutative valuation ring, is a special case. For a non-discrete right invariant rank-one right chain domain R there are exactly two possibilities for the set [Formula: see text] if the value group of R is the group of real numbers under addition, and there are infinitely many possibilities for [Formula: see text] in all other cases.