This note investigates torsion-free abelian groups G of finite rank which embed, as subgroups of finite index, in a finite direct sum C of subgroups of the additive group of rational numbers. Specifically, we examine the relationship between G and C when the index of G in C is minimal. Some properties of Warfield duality are developed and used (in the case that G is locally free) to relate our results to earlier ones by Burkhardt and Lady.

A composition sequence for a torsion-free abelian group A is an increasing sequenceof pure subgroups with rank 1 quotients and union A. Properties of A can be described by the sequence of types of these quotients. For example, if A is uniform, that is all the types in some sequence are equal, then A is complete decomposable if it is homogeneous. If A has finite rank and all permutations ofone of its type sequences can be realized, then A is quasi-isomorphic to a direct sum of uniform groups.

We define an equivalence relation on the class of torsion-free abelian groups under which two groups are equivalent ifevery pure subgroup of one has a non-zero image in the other, and each has a non-zero image in every torsion-free factor of the other.

We study the closure properties of the equivalence classes, and the structural properties of the class of all equivalence classes. Finally we identify a class of groups which satisfy Krull-Schmidt and Jordan-Hölder properties with respect to the equivalence.

Epimorphic images of compact (algebraically compact) abelian groups are called cotorsion groups after Harrison. In a recent paper, Ph. Schultz raised the question whether “cotorsion” is a property which can be recognized by its small cotorsion epimorphic images: If G is a torsion-free group such that every torsion-free reduced homomorphic image of cardinality is cotorsion, is G necessarily cortorsion? In this note we will give some counterexamples to this problem. In fact, there is no cardinal k which is large enough to test cotorsion.

A Σ-group is an abelian group on which is given a family of infinite sums having properties suggested by, but weaker than, those which hold for absolutely convergent series of real or complex numbers. Two closely related questions are considered. The first concerns the construction of a Σ-group from an arbitrary abelian group on which certain series are given to be summable, certain of these series being required to sum to zero. This leads to a Σ-theoretic construction of R from Q and in general of the completion of an arbitrary metrizable abelian group (with the associated unconditional sums) from that group. The second question is whether, in a given Σ-group, the values of the infinite sums may be determined solely from a knowledge of which series are summable. Such a Σ-group is said to be relatively free and it is shown that all metrizable abelian groups are relatively free.

This note is devoted to the question of deciding whether or not a subring of a finite-dimensional algebra over the rationals, with additive group a Butler group, is the endomorphism ring of a Butler group (a Butler group is a pure subgroup of a finite direct sum of rank-1 torsion-free abelian groups). A complete answer is given for subrings of division algebras. Several applications are included.