\(A_\infty\)-resolutions and the Golod property for monomial rings (Q1631701)

Let \(S=k[x_1, \ldots, x_m]\) be the polynomial algebra over a field \(k\) in \(m\) variables and assume that \(I\) is a monomial ideal. The Poincaré series of \(R=S/I\) is defined as \[ P(R)=\sum_{j=0}^{\infty}\dim \text{Tor}_j^R(k, k)t^j. \] A result due to Serre states that there is an inequality of power series \[ P(R)\leq \frac{(1+t)^m}{1-t(\sum_{j=0}^{\infty}\dim \text{Tor}_j^S(R, k)t^j-1)}. \] The ring \(R\) is said to be Golod if equality is obtained. The problem of when a monomial ring is Golod goes back to at least the 70s when Golod showed that a monomial ring \(R\) is Golod if and only if all Massey products on the Tor-algebra \(\text{Tor}^S(R, k)\) vanish. In general, it is hard to directly verify the vanishing of Massey products and so in practice the Golod property is still hard to determine. Assume that the minimal free resolution \(F\) of \(R\) is rooted. In the paper under review, the author describes an \(A_{\infty}\)-algebra structure on \(F\). Using this structure, it is shown that \(R\) is Golod if and only if the product on \(\text{Tor}^S(R, k)\) vanishes. Furthermore, a necessary and sufficient combinatorial condition for \(R\) to be Golod is provided.