On higher Hessians and the Lefschetz properties (Q1682042)

A standard graded artinian algebra \(R/I\) (where \(R\) is the polynomial ring in \(n\) variables over an infinite field \(k\)) is said to have the Weak Lefschetz property (WLP) if multiplication by a general linear form \(\times L : [R/I]_i \rightarrow [R/I]_{i+1}\) always has maximal rank. It is said to have the Strong Lefschetz property (SLP) if \(\times L^j : [R/I]_i \rightarrow [R/I]_{i+j}\) has maximal rank for all \(i\) and \(j\). The existence of either WLP or SLP for an algebra forces the Hilbert function of the algebra to be unimodal; that is, a non-unimodal Hilbert function precludes WLP or SLP. So the most interesting examples are those where the Hilbert function is unimodal but WLP fails for deeper reasons. An important class of algebras are the Gorenstein algebras, and this paper presents new families of algebras not satisfying WLP or SLP. This is done by providing generalizations of the Gordan-Noether theorem on the existence of non-trivial forms with vanishing Hessians, together with a criterion due to J. Watanabe on the connection between Lefschetz properties and the vanishing of (higher) Hessians. One of the main results in this paper says that for \((N,d) \notin \{ (3,3), (3,4), (4,4), (3,6) \}\) with \(N \geq 3\) and \(d \geq 3\), there exist standard graded artinian Gorenstein algebras of codimension \(N+1\) and socle degree \(d\), with a unimodal Hilbert function, that do not satisfy the WLP.