FLAT RING EPIMORPHISMS OF COUNTABLE TYPE

Let R→U be an associative ring epimorphism such that U is a flat left R-module. Assume that the related Gabriel topology $\mathbb{G}$ of right ideals in R has a countable base. Then we show that the left R-module U has projective dimension at most 1. Furthermore, the abelian category of left contramodules over the completion of R at $\mathbb{G}$ fully faithfully embeds into the Geigle–Lenzing right perpendicular subcategory to U in the category of left R-modules, and every object of the latter abelian category is an extension of two objects of the former one. We discuss conditions under which the two abelian categories are equivalent. Given a right linear topology on an associative ring R, we consider the induced topology on every left R-module and, for a perfect Gabriel topology $\mathbb{G}$, compare the completion of a module with an appropriate Ext module. Finally, we characterize the U-strongly flat left R-modules by the two conditions of left positive-degree Ext-orthogonality to all left U-modules and all $\mathbb{G}$-separated $\mathbb{G}$-complete left R-modules.

COVERS FOR S-ACTS AND CONDITION (A) FOR A MONOID S

A monoid S satisfies Condition (A) if every locally cyclic left S-act is cyclic. This condition first arose in Isbell's work on left perfect monoids, that is, monoids such that every left S-act has a projective cover. Isbell showed that S is left perfect if and only if every cyclic left S-act has a projective cover and Condition (A) holds. Fountain built on Isbell's work to show that S is left perfect if and only if it satisfies Condition (A) together with the descending chain condition on principal right ideals, MR. We note that a ring is left perfect (with an analogous definition) if and only if it satisfies MR. The appearance of Condition (A) in this context is, therefore, monoid specific. Condition (A) has a number of alternative characterisations, in particular, it is equivalent to the ascending chain condition on cyclic subacts of any left S-act. In spite of this, it remains somewhat esoteric. The first aim of this paper is to investigate the preservation of Condition (A) under basic semigroup-theoretic constructions. Recently, Khosravi, Ershad and Sedaghatjoo have shown that every left S-act has a strongly flat or Condition (P) cover if and only if every cyclic left S-act has such a cover and Condition (A) holds. Here we find a range of classes of S-acts $\mathcal{C}$ such that every left S-act has a cover from $\mathcal{C}$ if and only if every cyclic left S-act does and Condition (A) holds. In doing so we find a further characterisation of Condition (A) purely in terms of the existence of covers of a certain kind. Finally, we make some observations concerning left perfect monoids and investigate a class of monoids close to being left perfect, which we name left$\mathcal{IP}$a-perfect.