Brauer-Thrall for totally reflexive modules (Q420736)

Let \(R\) be a commutative Noetherian local ring. A finitely generated \(R\)-module \(M\) is called totally reflexive if there exists an infinite sequence of finitely generated free \(R\)-modules \[ F: \cdots\to F_1\to F_0\to F_{-1}\to \cdots, \] such that \(M\) is isomorphic to the module \(\mathrm{Coker}(F_1\to F_0)\), and such that both \(F\) and the dual sequence \(\mathrm{Hom}(F,R)\) are exact. It is known that \(R\) is Gorenstein if and only if every \(R\)-module has a totally reflexive syzygy see, \textit{M. Auslander} and \textit{M. Bridger} [Mem. Am. Math. Soc. 94, 146 p. (1969; Zbl 0204.36402)]. If a local ring is not Gorenstein and the category of totally reflexive modules contains a non-free module, then it is representation infinite [\textit{L. W. Christensen} et al., Adv. Math. 218, No. 4, 1012--1026 (2008; Zbl 1148.14004)]. The main goal of the paper under review is to determine how complex the category of totally reflexive modules is when it is representation infinite. Let \(\mathfrak{m}\) be the unique maximal ideal of \(R\) and \(\mathfrak{m}^3=0\). Starting from a non-free cyclic totally reflexive module, the authors construct a family of indecomposable totally reflexive \(R\)-module that contains, for every \(n\in \mathbb{N}\), a module that is minimally generated by \(n\) elements. Moreover, if the residue field \(R/\mathfrak{m}\) is algebraically closed, then they construct for every \(n\in\mathbb{N}\) an infinite family of indecomposable and pairwise non-isomorphic totally reflexive \(R\)-modules, each of which is minimally generated by \(n\) elements. The modules in both families have periodic minimal free resolution of period at most 2.