Syzygies of modules with positive codimension (Q2468520)

Let \(R\) be a complete Gorenstein local ring and \(M\) be a finitely generated \(R\)-module. A Cohen-Macaulay approximation of \(M\) is given by the exact sequence \(0\rightarrow Y_M\rightarrow X_M\rightarrow M \rightarrow0\) [resp. \(0\rightarrow M\rightarrow Y^M\rightarrow X^M\rightarrow 0]\), where \(X_M\) [resp. \(X^M]\) is a maximal Cohen-Macaulay module and \(Y_M\) [resp. \(Y^M]\) has projective dimension finite. A Cohen-Macaulay approximation is called minimal if \(X_M\) [resp. \(X^M]\) and \(Y_M\) [resp. \(Y^M]\) have no common summand. \textit{M. Auslander} and \textit{R.-O. Buchweitz} [Mém. Soc. Math. France (N.S.) No. 38, 5--37 (1989; Zbl 0697.13005)] showed that such minimal Cohen-Macaulay approximations exist uniquely up to isomorphism. On the other hand a higher syzygy of a module with positive codimension is a maximal Cohen-Macaulay module that plays an important role in Cohen-Macaulay approximation. In the paper under review, the author proves that every maximal Cohen-Macaulay module is a higher syzygy of some positive codimensional module if and only if the ring is an integral domain.