Asymptotic growth of multiplicity functions (Q479301)

This nice paper introduces some interesting multiplicity functions for pairs of ideals with an aim toward giving a numerical criterion on whether an ideal properly contained in another is a reduction of the larger ideal. It is well known for \(\mathfrak{m}\)-primary ideals \(J \subseteq I\), \(e(I)=e(J)\) if and only if \(J\) is a reduction of \(J\). However, in the non \(\mathfrak{m}\)-primary setting, the Hilbert Samuel multiplicity is not defined. For ideals \(J \subseteq I\) in a formally equidimensional ring satisfying the property that the length of the quotient \(I/J\) is finite a result of \textit{D. Rees} [J. Lond. Math. Soc., II. Ser. 32, 404--410 (1985; Zbl 0599.13002)] showed \(J\) is a reduction of \(I\) if and only if the degree of the polynomial function given by the length of the quotients \(I^n/J^n\) for \(n\) large is at most dim \(R-1\). More recently, \textit{J. Herzog} et al. [Math. Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. 145, No. 3, 623--642 (2008; Zbl 1157.13013)] showed that \(e(I^n/J^n)\) is also a polynomial function. Expanding on the two mentioned results, the author shows that over a local Noetherian ring if \(J \subseteq I\) is a reduction then the degree of \(e(I^n/J^n)\) for \(n\) large is at most dim \(R -\)dim \(R/\sqrt{(J^n:I^n)}-1\). He also shows in the same setting that if \(J \subseteq I\) is not a reduction then the degree of \(e(I^n/J^n)\) for \(n\) large is precisely dim \(R -\)dim \(R/\sqrt{(J^n:I^n)}\). The author also proves the multiplicity of the quotient of \(\overline{I^n}/\overline{J^n}\) is a polynomial function of degree at most dim \(R -\)dim \(R/\sqrt{(\overline{J^n}:\overline{I^n})}\) for all large \(n\) and if \(J\) is not a reduction of \(I\) then the degree of this polynomial is precisely equal to this upper bound. He also considers functions defined by \(e(I^n/J^mI^{n-m})\) when \(I=J+xR\) and obtains some similar results to the above; however, this setting proves much more difficult.