Let us call a module $M$ over a commutative ring $R$ symtrivial if the symmetry $M \otimes M \to M \otimes M, a \otimes b \mapsto b \otimes a$ equals the identity (the same notion applies to arbitrary symmetric monoidal categories). Equivalently, every bilinear map on $M \times M$ is symmetric. Obviously $R$, and more generally every invertible $R$-module, is symtrivial, but there are many more symtrivial modules, which follows from the following closure properties.

• A directed colimit of symtrivial modules is symtrivial.
• A direct sum $\oplus_{i \in I} M_i$ is symtrivial iff all $M_i$ are symtrivial and $M_i \otimes M_j = 0$ for $i \neq j$.
• Every quotient of a symtrivial module is symtrivial.
• Every symmetric monoidal functor, possibly non-unital, preserves symtrivial modules. For example, localizations of symtrivial modules are symtrivial.
• If $A$ is a commutative $R$-algebra, then $A$, regarded as an $R$-module, is symtrivial iff $R \to A$ is an epimorphism in the category of commutative rings.
• If $M_{\mathfrak{p}}$ is symtrivial for all $\mathfrak{p} \in \mathrm{Spec}(R)$, then $M$ is symtrivial.

From Nakayama one can deduce that a finitely generated $R$-module is symtrivial iff all $M_{\mathfrak{p}}$ are cyclic $R_{\mathfrak{p}}$-modules.

Question. Is there a classification of symtrivial $\mathbb{Z}$-modules?

Almost equivalent one may ask for a classification of symtrivial $R$-modules, where $R$ is a PID (or even a Dedekind domain?). There is a classification of epimorphisms of commutative rings $R \to A$, see Torsten Schöneberg's answer here. Either $A=R/rR$ for some $0 \neq r \in R$, or

$A \cong A_{n,\widehat{P}} := (\widehat{P} \setminus P)^{-1} R[(x_p)_{p \in P}] / (x_p (1-p x_p),p^{n(p)} (1-p x_p))_{p \in P},$

where $\widehat{P}$ is a set of primes in $R$, $P \subseteq \widehat{P}$ is a subset and $n : P \to \mathbb{N}^+$ is a function. These are in particular symtrivial $R$-modules.

Every locally cyclic $R$-module (:= every finitely generated submodule is cyclic) is symtrivial; these are precisely the submodules of $Q(R)$ and of $Q(R)/R$. Since $Q(R) \otimes Q(R)/R=0$, also $Q(R) \oplus Q(R)/R$ is symtrivial.

We can continue this way and use the closure properties to optain lots of examples of symtrivial modules. Nevertheless, I wonder if any classification is available (similar to the classification of epimorphisms, where in fact every epi can be optained by a canonical order of closure properties).

PS: I invented the notion of symtrivial objects for myself and also wonder if anybody else has worked with them or if this notion is already known under a different name. Any information is appreciated. The background is that for a given cocomplete symmetric monoidal category $C$ one can show that $\mathsf{gr}_{\mathbb{N}}(C)$ is the universal cocomplete symmetric monoidal category over $C$ together with a symtrivial object (namely $1_C[-1]$). Thus, in the context of graded objects symtrivial objects pop out quite naturally, and my question is equivalent to the classification of cocontinuous symmetric monoidal $R$-linear functors $\mathsf{gr}_{\mathbb{N}}(R) \to \mathsf{Mod}(R)$.

Let us call a module $M$ over a commutative ring $R$ symtrivial if the symmetry $M \otimes M \to M \otimes M, a \otimes b \mapsto b \otimes a$ equals the identity (the same notion applies to arbitrary symmetric monoidal categories). Equivalently, every bilinear map on $M \times M$ is symmetric. Obviously $R$, and more generally every invertible $R$-module, is symtrivial, but there are many more symtrivial modules, which follows from the following closure properties.

• A directed colimit of symtrivial modules is symtrivial.
• A direct sum $\oplus_{i \in I} M_i$ is symtrivial iff all $M_i$ are symtrivial and $M_i \otimes M_j = 0$ for $i \neq j$.
• Every quotient of a symtrivial module is symtrivial.
• Every symmetric monoidal functor, possibly non-unital, preserves symtrivial modules. For example, localizations of symtrivial modules are symtrivial.
• If $A$ is a commutative $R$-algebra, then $A$, regarded as an $R$-module, is symtrivial iff $R \to A$ is an epimorphism in the category of commutative rings.
• If $M_{\mathfrak{p}}$ is symtrivial for all $\mathfrak{p} \in \mathrm{Spec}(R)$, then $M$ is symtrivial.

From Nakayama one can deduce that a finitely generated $R$-module is symtrivial iff all $M_{\mathfrak{p}}$ are cyclic $R_{\mathfrak{p}}$-modules.

Question. Is there a classification of symtrivial $\mathbb{Z}$-modules?

Almost equivalent one may ask for a classification of symtrivial $R$-modules, where $R$ is a PID (or even a Dedekind domain?). There is a classification of epimorphisms of commutative rings $R \to A$, see Torsten Schöneberg's answer here. Either $A=R/rR$ for some $0 \neq r \in R$, or

$A \cong A_{n,\widehat{P}} := (\widehat{P} \setminus P)^{-1} R[(x_p)_{p \in P}] / (x_p (1-p x_p),p^{n(p)} (1-p x_p))_{p \in P},$

where $\widehat{P}$ is a set of primes in $R$, $P \subseteq \widehat{P}$ is a subset and $n : P \to \mathbb{N}^+$ is a function. These are in particular symtrivial $R$-modules.

Every locally cyclic $R$-module (:= every finitely generated submodule is cyclic) is symtrivial; these are precisely the submodules of $Q(R)$ and of $Q(R)/R$. Since $Q(R) \otimes Q(R)/R=0$, also $Q(R) \oplus Q(R)/R$ is symtrivial.

We can continue this way and use the closure properties to optain lots of examples of symtrivial modules. Nevertheless, I wonder if any classification is available (similar to the classification of epimorphisms, where in fact every epi can be optained by a canonical order of closure properties).

PS: I invented the notion of symtrivial objects for myself and also wonder if anybody else has worked with them or if this notion is already known under a different name. Any information is appreciated. The background is that for a given cocomplete symmetric monoidal category $C$ one can show that $\mathsf{gr}_{\mathbb{N}}(C)$ is the universal cocomplete symmetric monoidal category over $C$ together with a symtrivial object (namely $1_C[-1]$). Thus, in the context of graded objects symtrivial objects pop out quite naturally, and my question is equivalent to the classification of cocontinuous symmetric monoidal $R$-linear functors $\mathsf{gr}_{\mathbb{N}}(R) \to \mathsf{Mod}(R)$.

Let us call a module $M$ over a commutative ring $R$ symtrivial if the symmetry $M \otimes M \to M \otimes M, a \otimes b \mapsto b \otimes a$ equals the identity (the same notion applies to arbitrary symmetric monoidal categories). Equivalently, every bilinear map on $M \times M$ is symmetric. Obviously $R$, and more generally every invertible $R$-module, is symtrivial, but there are many more symtrivial modules, which follows from the following closure properties.

• A directed colimit of symtrivial modules is symtrivial.
• A direct sum $\oplus_{i \in I} M_i$ with $I \neq \emptyset$ is symtrivial iff all $M_i$ are symtrivial and $M_i \otimes M_j = 0$ for $i \neq j$.
• Every quotient of a symtrivial module is symtrivial.
• Every symmetric monoidal functor, possibly non-unital, preserves symtrivial modules. For example, localizations of symtrivial modules are symtrivial.
• If $A$ is a commutative $R$-algebra, then $A$, regarded as an $R$-module, is symtrivial iff $R \to A$ is an epimorphism in the category of commutative rings.
• If $M_{\mathfrak{p}}$ is symtrivial for all $\mathfrak{p} \in \mathrm{Spec}(R)$, then $M$ is symtrivial.

From Nakayama one can deduce that a finitely generated $R$-module is symtrivial iff all $M_{\mathfrak{p}}$ are cyclic $R_{\mathfrak{p}}$-modules.

Question. Is there a classification of symtrivial $\mathbb{Z}$-modules?

Almost equivalent one may ask for a classification of symtrivial $R$-modules, where $R$ is a PID (or even a Dedekind domain?). There is a classification of epimorphisms of commutative rings $R \to A$, see Torsten Schöneberg's answer here. Either $A=R/rR$ for some $0 \neq r \in R$, or

$A \cong A_{n,\widehat{P}} := (\widehat{P} \setminus P)^{-1} R[(x_p)_{p \in P}] / (x_p (1-p x_p),p^{n(p)} (1-p x_p))_{p \in P},$

where $\widehat{P}$ is a set of primes in $R$, $P \subseteq \widehat{P}$ is a subset and $n : P \to \mathbb{N}^+$ is a function. These are in particular symtrivial $R$-modules.

Every locally cyclic $R$-module (:= every finitely generated submodule is cyclic) is symtrivial; these are precisely the submodules of $Q(R)$ and of $Q(R)/R$. Since $Q(R) \otimes Q(R)/R=0$, also $Q(R) \oplus Q(R)/R$ is symtrivial.

We can continue this way and use the closure properties to optain lots of examples of symtrivial modules. Nevertheless, I wonder if any classification is available (similar to the classification of epimorphisms, where in fact every epi can be optained by a canonical order of closure properties).

PS: I invented the notion of symtrivial objects for myself and also wonder if anybody else has worked with them or if this notion is already known under a different name. Any information is appreciated. The background is that for a given cocomplete symmetric monoidal category $C$ one can show that $\mathrm{gr}_{\mathbb{N}}(C)$ is the universal cocomplete symmetric monoidal category over $C$ together with a symtrivial object (namely $1_C[-1]$). Thus, in the context of graded objects symtrivial objects pop out quite naturally.

Let us call a module $M$ over a commutative ring $R$ symtrivial if the symmetry $M \otimes M \to M \otimes M, a \otimes b \mapsto b \otimes a$ equals the identity (the same notion applies to arbitrary symmetric monoidal categories). Equivalently, every bilinear map on $M \times M$ is symmetric. Obviously $R$, and more generally every invertible $R$-module, is symtrivial, but there are many more symtrivial modules, which follows from the following closure properties.

• A directed colimit of symtrivial modules is symtrivial.
• A direct sum $\oplus_{i \in I} M_i$ is symtrivial iff all $M_i$ are symtrivial and $M_i \otimes M_j = 0$ for $i \neq j$.
• Every quotient of a symtrivial module is symtrivial.
• Every symmetric monoidal functor, possibly non-unital, preserves symtrivial modules. For example, localizations of symtrivial modules are symtrivial.
• If $A$ is a commutative $R$-algebra, then $A$, regarded as an $R$-module, is symtrivial iff $R \to A$ is an epimorphism in the category of commutative rings.
• If $M_{\mathfrak{p}}$ is symtrivial for all $\mathfrak{p} \in \mathrm{Spec}(R)$, then $M$ is symtrivial.

From Nakayama one can deduce that a finitely generated $R$-module is symtrivial iff all $M_{\mathfrak{p}}$ are cyclic $R_{\mathfrak{p}}$-modules.

Question. Is there a classification of symtrivial $\mathbb{Z}$-modules?

Almost equivalent one may ask for a classification of symtrivial $R$-modules, where $R$ is a PID (or even a Dedekind domain?). There is a classification of epimorphisms of commutative rings $R \to A$, see Torsten Schöneberg's answer here. Either $A=R/rR$ for some $0 \neq r \in R$, or

$A \cong A_{n,\widehat{P}} := (\widehat{P} \setminus P)^{-1} R[(x_p)_{p \in P}] / (x_p (1-p x_p),p^{n(p)} (1-p x_p))_{p \in P},$

where $\widehat{P}$ is a set of primes in $R$, $P \subseteq \widehat{P}$ is a subset and $n : P \to \mathbb{N}^+$ is a function. These are in particular symtrivial $R$-modules.

Every locally cyclic $R$-module (:= every finitely generated submodule is cyclic) is symtrivial; these are precisely the submodules of $Q(R)$ and of $Q(R)/R$. Since $Q(R) \otimes Q(R)/R=0$, also $Q(R) \oplus Q(R)/R$ is symtrivial.

We can continue this way and use the closure properties to optain lots of examples of symtrivial modules. Nevertheless, I wonder if any classification is available (similar to the classification of epimorphisms, where in fact every epi can be optained by a canonical order of closure properties).

PS: I invented the notion of symtrivial objects for myself and also wonder if anybody else has worked with them or if this notion is already known under a different name. Any information is appreciated. The background is that for a given cocomplete symmetric monoidal category $C$ one can show that $\mathsf{gr}_{\mathbb{N}}(C)$ is the universal cocomplete symmetric monoidal category over $C$ together with a symtrivial object (namely $1_C[-1]$). Thus, in the context of graded objects symtrivial objects pop out quite naturally, and my question is equivalent to the classification of cocontinuous symmetric monoidal $R$-linear functors $\mathsf{gr}_{\mathbb{N}}(R) \to \mathsf{Mod}(R)$.