Relative Cartier Divisors and Laurent Polynomial Extensions

Abstract

If $i:A\subset B$ is a commutative ring extension, we show that the group $\mathcal I(A,B)$ of invertible $A$-submodules of $B$ is contracted in the sense of Bass, with $L\mathcal I(A,B)=H^0_{et}(A,i_*\mathbb Z/\mathbb Z)$. This gives a canonical decomposition for $\mathcal I(A[t,\frac1t],B[t,\frac1t])$.