The minimum distance of sets of points and the minimum socle degree

Let K be a field of characteristic 0. Let be a reduced finite set of points, not all contained in a hyperplane. Let be the maximum number of points of Γ contained in any hyperplane, and let . If I⊂R=K[x₀,…,x_n] is the ideal of Γ, then in Tohaˇneanu (2009) [12] it is shown that for n=2,3, d(Γ) has a lower bound expressed in terms of some shift in the graded minimal free resolution of R/I. In these notes we show that this behavior holds true in general, for any n≥2: d(Γ)≥A_n, where A_n=min{a_i−n} and ⊕_iR(−a_i) is the last module in the graded minimal free resolution of R/I. In the end we also prove that this bound is sharp for a whole class of examples due to Juan Migliore (2010) [10].     

The determinantal ideals of extended Hankel matrices

In this paper, we use the tools of Gröbner bases and combinatorial secant varieties to study the determinantal ideals I_t of the extended Hankel matrices. Denote by c-chain a sequence a₁,…,a_k with a_i+c<a_i+1 for all i=1,…,k−1. Using the results of c-chain, we solve the membership problem for the symbolic powers and we compute the primary decomposition of the product I_t1?I_tk of the determinantal ideals. Passing through the initial ideals and algebras we prove that the product I_t1?I_tk has a linear resolution and the multi-homogeneous Rees algebra is defined by a Gröbner basis of quadrics.     

Note on bounds for multiplicities

Let S=K[x₁,…,x_n] be a polynomial ring and R=S/I be a graded K-algebra where I⊂S is a graded ideal. Herzog, Huneke and Srinivasan have conjectured that the multiplicity of R is bounded above by a function of the maximal shifts in the minimal graded free resolution of R over S. We prove the conjecture in the case that codim(R)=2 which generalizes results in (J. Pure Appl. Algebra 182 (2003) 201; Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 350 (1998) 2879). We also give a proof for the bound in the case in which I is componentwise linear. For example, stable and squarefree stable ideals belong to this class of ideals.     

A uniform Artin-Rees property for syzygies in rings of dimension one and two

Let be a local Noetherian ring, let M be a finitely generated R-module and let I⊂R be an -primary ideal. Let be a free resolution of M. In this paper we study the question whether there exists an integer h such that IⁿF_i∩ker(∂_i)⊂I^n−hker(∂_i) holds for all i. We give a positive answer for rings of dimension at most two. We relate this property to the existence of an integer s such that I^s annihilates the modules for all i>0 and all integers n.     

Strongly irreducible ideals of a commutative ring

An ideal I of a ring R is said to be strongly irreducible if for ideals J and K of R, the inclusion J∩K⊆I implies that either J⊆I or K⊆I. The relationship among the families of irreducible ideals, strongly irreducible ideals, and prime ideals of a commutative ring R is considered, and a characterization is given of the Noetherian rings which contain a non-prime strongly irreducible ideal.     

Rings of matrix invariants in positive characteristic

Denote by R_n,m the ring of invariants of m-tuples of n×n matrices (m,n?2) over an infinite base field K under the simultaneous conjugation action of the general linear group. When char(K)=0, Razmyslov (Izv. Akad. Nauk SSSR Ser. Mat. 38 (1974) 723) and Procesi (Adv. Math. 19 (1976) 306) established a connection between the Nagata-Higman theorem and the degree bound for generators of R_n,m. We extend this relationship to the case when the base field has positive characteristic. In particular, we show that if 0<char(K))?n, then R_n,m is not generated by its elements whose degree is smaller than m. A minimal system of generators of R_2,m is determined for the case char(K)=2: it consists of 2^m+m−1 elements, and the maximum of their degrees is m. We deduce a consequence indicating that the theory of vector invariants of the special orthogonal group in characteristic 2 is not analogous to the case char(K)≠2. We prove that the characterization of the R_n,m that are complete intersections, known before when char(K)=0, is valid for any infinite K. We give a Cohen-Macaulay presentation of R_2,4, and analyze the difference between the cases char(K)=2 and char(K)≠2.     

Degree functions and projectively full ideals in 2-dimensional rational singularities that can be desingularized by blowing up the unique maximal ideal

Let (R,m) be a 2-dimensional rational singularity with algebraically closed residue field and for which the associated graded ring is an integrally closed domain. According to Göhner, (R,m) satisfies condition (N): given a prime divisor v, there exists a unique complete m-primary ideal A_v in R with T(A_v)={v} and such that any complete m-primary ideal with unique Rees valuation v, is a power of A_v. We use the theory of degree functions developed by Rees and Sharp as well as some results about regular local rings, to investigate the degree coefficients d(A_v,v). As an immediate corollary, we find that for a simple complete m₁-primary ideal I₁ in an immediate quadratic transform (R₁,m₁) of (R,m); the inverse transform of I₁ in R is projectively full.     

Generic residual intersections and intersection numbers of movable components

Given a sequence x of elements of a commutative equidimensional noetherian ring R  , cycles _zi(x,R)$z_i(\mathbf{x},R)$ (i∈N$i\in \mathbb{N}$) in the cycle group of polynomial rings over R are defined by generic residual intersections. The study of these cycles gives new insight into the theory for excess intersections in projective space developed by Stückrad and Vogel, in particular concerning the contribution to the intersection cycle of embedded components not defined over the base field.     

Zero-divisor graphs of amalgamated duplication of a ring along an ideal

Let R be a commutative ring with identity and let I be an ideal of R. Let R?I be the subring of R×R consisting of the elements (r,r+i) for r∈R and i∈I. We study the diameter and girth of the zero-divisor graph of the ring R?I.     

Artinian level modules of embedding dimension two

We prove that a sequence of positive integers (h₀,h₁,…,h_c) is the Hilbert function of an artinian level module of embedding dimension two if and only if h_i−1−2h_i+h_i+1≤0 for all 0≤i≤c, where we assume that h₋₁=h_c+1=0. This generalizes a result already known for artinian level algebras. We provide two proofs, one using a deformation argument, the other a construction with monomial ideals. We also discuss liftings of artinian modules to modules of dimension one.     

Some stably tame polynomial automorphisms

We study the structure of length three polynomial automorphisms of R[X,Y] when R is a UFD. These results are used to prove that if SL_m(R[X₁,X₂,…,X_n])=E_m(R[X₁,X₂,…,X_n]) for all n≥0 and for all m≥3 then all length three polynomial automorphisms of R[X,Y] are stably tame.     

A semialgebraic closure for commutative algebra

Let A⊂R be rings containing the rationals. In R let S be a multiplicatively closed subset such that 1∈S and 0∉S, T a preorder of R (a proper subsemiring containing the squares) such that S⊂T and I an A-submodule of R. Define ρ(I) (or ρ_S,T(I)) to be

ρ(I)={a∈R|sa^2m+t∈I^2m for some m∈N,s∈S and t∈T}.     

Remote points in products under CH

Assume CH. Let I be any index set, and let Xi, for i∈I, be a completely regular ccc topological space of weight ω₂. If X=_∏i∈IXi is ccc and non-pseudocompact, then X has remote points.     

Bounds in Polynomial Rings over Artinian Local Rings

Let R be a (mixed characteristic) Artinian local ring of length l and let X be an n-tuple of variables. We prove that several algebraic constructions in the ring R[X] admit uniform bounds on the degrees of their output in terms of l, n and the degrees of the input. For instance, if I is an ideal in R[X] generated by polynomials g _i of degree at most d and if f is a polynomial of degree at most d belonging to I, then f = q ₁ f ₁ + ··· + q _s f _s , for some q _i of degree bounded in terms of d, l and n only. Similarly, the module of syzygies of I is generated by tuples all of whose entries have degree bounded in terms of d, l and n only.     

Extending compact topologies to compact Hausdorff topologies in ZF

Within the framework of Zermelo-Fraenkel set theory ZF, we investigate the set-theoretical strength of the following statements:

(1)

For every family(Ai)_i∈Iof sets there exists a family(Ti)_i∈Isuch that for everyi∈I(Ai,Ti)is a compactT₂space.

(2)

For every family(Ai)_i∈Iof sets there exists a family(Ti)_i∈Isuch that for everyi∈I(Ai,Ti)is a compact, scattered, T₂space.

(3)

For every set X, every compactR₁topology (itsT₀-reflection isT₂) on X can be enlarged to a compactT₂topology.

We show:

(a)

(1) implies every infinite set can be split into two infinite sets.

(b)

(2) iff AC.

(c)

(3) and “there exists a free ultrafilter” iff AC.

We also show that if the topology of certain compact T₁ spaces can be enlarged to a compact T₂ topology then (1) holds true. But in general, compact T₁ topologies do not extend to compact T₂ ones.     

Valuations, equimultiplicity and normal flatness

Let R be a regular noetherian local ring of dimension n≥2 and (R_i)≡R=R₀⊂R₁⊂R₂⊂?⊂R_i⊂? be a sequence of successive quadratic transforms along a regular prime ideal p of R (i.e if p_i is the strict transform of p in R_i, then p_i≠R_i, i≥0). We say that p is maximal for (R_i) if for every non-negative integer j≥0 and for every prime ideal q_j of R_j such that (R_i) is a quadratic sequence along q_j with p_j⊂q_j, we have p_j=q_j. We show that p is maximal for (R_i) if and only if V=∪_i≥0R_i/p_i is a valuation ring of dimension one. In this case, the equimultiple locus at p is the set of elements of the maximal ideal of R for which the multiplicity is stable along the sequence (R_i), provided that the series of real numbers given by the multiplicity sequence associated with V diverges. Furthermore, if we consider an ideal J of R, we also show that is normally flat along at the closed point if and only if the Hironaka’s character ν^∗(J,R) is stable along the sequence (R_i). This generalizes well known results for the case where p has height one (see [B.M. Bennett, On the characteristic functions of a local ring, Ann. of Math. Second Series 91 (1) (1970) 25-87]).     

Depths and Cohen–Macaulay properties of path ideals

Given a tree T on n vertices, there is an associated ideal I   of R[_x1,…,_xn]$R[x_1,\dots ,x_n]$ generated by all paths of a fixed length ? of T  . We classify all trees for which R/I$R/I$ is Cohen–Macaulay, and we show that an ideal I whose generators correspond to any collection of subtrees of T satisfies the König property. Since the edge ideal of a simplicial tree has this form, this generalizes a result of Faridi. Moreover, every square-free monomial ideal can be represented (non-uniquely) as a subtree ideal of a graph, so this construction provides a new combinatorial tool for studying square-free monomial ideals.