Idempotent 2-by-2 matrices

(Idempotent) 2-by-2 matrices of determinant 0 and trace 1 over a commutative ring are related to line bundles on two generators. This is used to describe their orbits under inner (resp. arbitrary) automorphisms and to construct explicit examples of line bundles on two generators having infinite order in the Picard group of the base ring.

Holger P. Petersson < holger.petersson@fernuni-hagen.de >