On Hilbert functions of reduced and of integral algebras (Q1120627)

All algebras considered here are standard graded k-algebras, that is, of form \(k[X_ 0,...,X_ n]/I\) with k a field, \(\deg (X_ i)=1\) for all i, and I a homogeneous ideal. It is well known that a function \(H:\quad {\mathbb{Z}}\to {\mathbb{Z}}\) is the Hilbert function of some algebra A if and only if H is a 0-sequence. The authors are interested in additional properties that guarantee the existence of a reduced or integral algebra with a given Hilbert function. Not all O-sequences will do; the authors show that if k is finite then there are even differentiable O-sequences that are not Hilbert functions of any reduced algebra. If, however, H is the Hilbert function of N points in projective space then under certain conditions on k there is a domain with Hilbert function H. The technique of first choice for producing domains with given Hilbert function is to find any algebra with Hilbert function \(\Delta\) H, then to lift this algebra to one that is reduced or integral, as desired. Unfortunately it can happen that there is no such lifting; even when a Hilbert function \(G=H_ A\) is liftable (that is, \(\int G \) is the Hilbert function of a reduced or integral algebra, the algebra A itself may not be liftable to such an algebra). This leads the authors to investigate liftability of certain algebras (for example monomial complete intersections) over various fields.