Almost complete intersections and the lex-plus-powers conjecture (Q1886831)

Let \(H\) be a possible Hilbert function for a graded Artinian algebra over the polynomial ring \(R = k[x_1,\dots,x_n]\), where \(k\) is a field. Among algebras \(R/I\) with Hilbert function \(H\), it was shown by Bigatti, Hulett and Pardue (separately) that there is one, \(R/J\), with maximal graded Betti numbers; that is, \(\beta_{ij}^{R/I} \leq \beta_{ij}^{R/J}\) for all \(i,j\). Specifically, this happens when \(J\) is the lexicographic ideal corresponding to Hilbert function \(H\). (Work of Charalambous, Evans, Richert and Rodriguez has shown that there is no corresponding set of minimal Betti numbers.) Now suppose that we impose more than the Hilbert function on our algebras. Let us fix degrees \(a_1,\dots, a_n\) and require that our ideals also have a regular sequence of these degrees. Of course we need that \(H\) and \(a_1,\dots,a_n\) are compatible; this is handled, in part, by a conjecture of \textit{D. Eisenbud, M. Green} and \textit{J. Harris} [Astérisque 218, 187--202 (1993; Zbl 0819.14001)]. The question, then, is whether there is a class of ideals that gives maximal Betti numbers among algebras with a given Hilbert function, with the extra stipulation on the regular sequence. The (natural) conjectured class is the class of so-called (\(a_1,\dots,a_n\))-lex-plus-powers (LPP) ideals, namely ideals that are minimally generated by \(x_1^{a_1},\dots,a_n^{a_n}\) and monomials \(m_1,\dots,m_l\), the latter of which are chosen in descending lexicographic order as dictated by the Hilbert function. The conjecture that these have maximal Betti numbers is called the LPP conjecture. The main result of this paper is to prove the LPP conjecture for almost complete intersections, i.e.\ Artinian ideals in \(R\) with \(n+1\) minimal generators. The author also obtains bounds on the Hilbert function of an almost complete intersection, including a special case of the Eisenbud-Green-Harris conjecture.