An elementary proof of the Briançon-Skoda theorem (Q2430124)

Let \(\mathcal O_n\) be the ring of germs of holomorphic functions at \(0\in\mathbb C^n\). The integral closure of an ideal \(I\subset\mathcal O_n\) is the set \(\overline I\) of all \(\phi\in\mathcal O_n\) such that there exists \(N\in\mathbb N\setminus\{0\}\) and \(a_k\in I^k\), \(k=1,\ldots,N\), for which \[ \phi^N+\sum_{j=1}^N a_j\phi^{N-j}\;=\;0\,. \] The Briançon-Skoda theorem is the following [\textit{H. Skoda} and \textit{J. Briançon}, C. R. Acad. Sci., Paris, Sér. A 278, 949--951 (1974; Zbl 0307.32007)]. Theorem 1. Let \(I\subset \mathcal O_n\) be an ideal generated by \(f_1,\ldots,f_m\). Then for all \(l\geq1\) \[ \overline{I^{\min(m,n)+l-1}}\subset I^l\,. \] Another frequently considered ideal is \(\hat I^{(k)}\), which consists of all \(\phi\in\mathcal O_n\) such that there exists a neighbourhood \(U\ni0\) and \(\varepsilon>0\) for which \[ \int_U |\phi|^2 |f|^{-2(k+\epsilon)}\,d\lambda\;<\;\infty\,, \] \(d\lambda\) being the Lebesgue measure. Briançon and Skoda proved that \(\overline{I^k}\subset \hat{I}^{(k)}\), and the following stronger statement Theorem 2. Let \(I\subset \mathcal O_n\) be an ideal generated by \(f_1,\ldots,f_m\). Then for all \(l\geq1\) \[ {\hat{I}^{(\min(m,n)+l-1)}}\subset I^l\,. \] In this paper a completely elementary proof based on \(L^1\) estimates is given.