Tight Hilbert Polynomial and F-rational local rings

TL;DR

This paper establishes criteria for F-rationality of Noetherian local rings in prime characteristic using the tight Hilbert function and polynomial, providing new bounds and characterizations related to Hilbert coefficients and local cohomology.

Contribution

It introduces criteria for F-rationality via the tight Hilbert polynomial, generalizes bounds for equidimensional rings, and characterizes F-rationality through Hilbert coefficients and depth conditions.

Findings

Lower bounds for the tight Hilbert function in equidimensional rings.

F-rationality characterized by vanishing of specific Hilbert coefficients.

Formulas relating tight Hilbert coefficients to local cohomology and Hilbert coefficients.

Abstract

Let $(R,\mathfrak{m})$ be a Noetherian local ring of prime characteristic $p$ and $Q$ be an $\mathfrak{m}$-primary parameter ideal. We give criteria for F-rationality of $R$ using the tight Hilbert function $H^*_Q(n)=\ell(R/(Q^n)^*$ and the coefficient $e_1^*(Q)$ of the tight Hilbert polynomial $P^*_Q(n)=\sum_{i=0}^d(-1)^ie_i^*(Q)\binom{n+d-1-i}{d-i}.$ We obtain a lower bound for the tight Hilbert function of $Q$ for equidimensional excellent local rings that generalises a result of Goto and Nakamura. We show that if $\dim R=2 $, the Hochster-Huneke graph of $R$ is connected and this lower bound is achieved then $R$ is F-rational. Craig Huneke asked if the $F$-rationality of unmixed local rings may be characterized by the vanishing of $e_1^*(Q).$ We construct examples to show that without additional conditions, this is not possible. Let $R$ be an excellent, reduced, equidimensional Noetherian local ring and $Q$ be generated by parameter test elements. We find formulas for $e_1^*(Q), e_2^*(Q), \ldots, e_d^*(Q)$ in terms of Hilbert coefficients of $Q$, lengths of local cohomology modules of $R,$ and the length of the tight closure of the zero submodule of $H^d_{\mathfrak{m}}(R).$ Using these we prove: $R$ is F-rational $\Leftrightarrow e_1^*(Q)=e_1(Q) \Leftrightarrow$ depth $R\geq 2$ and $e_1^*(Q)=0.$