Nonincreasing depth functions of monomial ideals

TL;DR

This paper characterizes the depth functions of monomial ideals, providing explicit descriptions for functions with specific nonincreasing properties and classifying triplets of parameters related to the asymptotic depth and stability index.

Contribution

It explicitly describes monomial ideals with prescribed depth functions and characterizes parameter triplets for their asymptotic depth and depth stability index.

Findings

Characterization of depth functions for monomial ideals.

Explicit construction of ideals with given depth functions.

Classification of parameter triplets for asymptotic depth and stability.

Abstract

Given a nonincreasing function $f : \mathbb{Z}_{\geq 0} \setminus \{ 0 \} \to \mathbb{Z}_{\geq 0}$ such that (i) $f(k) - f(k+1) \leq 1$ for all $k \geq 1$ and (ii) if $a = f(1)$ and $b = \lim_{k \to \infty} f(k)$, then $|f^{-1}(a)| \leq |f^{-1}(a-1)| \leq \cdots \leq |f^{-1}(b+1)|$, a system of generators of a monomial ideal $I \subset K[x_1, \ldots, x_n]$ for which ${\rm depth} S/I^k = f(k)$ for all $k \geq 1$ is explicitly described. Furthermore, we give a characterization of triplets of integers $(n,d,r)$ with $n > 0$, $d \geq 0$ and $r > 0$ with the properties that there exists a monomial ideal $I \subset S = K[x_1, \ldots, x_n]$ for which $\lim_{k \to \infty} {\rm depth} S/I^k = d$ and ${\rm dstab}(I) = r$, where ${\rm dstab}(I)$ is the smallest integer $k_0 \geq 1$ with ${\rm depth} S/I^{k_0} = {\rm depth} S/I^{k_0+1} = {\rm depth} S/I^{k_0+2} = \cdots$.