Gröbner bases and multiplicity of determinantal and Pfaffian ideals (Q1206501)

Let \(X=(X_{ij})\) be a generic \(m\times n\) matrix providing \(mn\) indeterminates \(X_{ij}\) for the polynomial ring \(R=k[X]\) over the field \(k\). In \(R\) we find the determinantal ideals \(I_{r+1}\) generated by all \((r+1)\)-minors of \(X\). These give rise to the associated determinantal rings \(R/I_{r+1}\). The paper determinates Gröbner bases of determinantal and related ideals and derives multiplicity formulas for these ideals in an easily accessible combinatorial manner. Section 1, `The Knuth-Robinson-Schensted correspondence' (KRSc), contains the definitions of standard (Young) (bi)tableaus and associated quantities (shape, length, degree). It modifies the famous KRSc [see \textit{D. E. Knuth}, Pac. J. Math. 34, 709-727 (1970; Zbl 0185.032)] slightly to obtain a bijection between the set of all standard degree-\(t\)-bitableaus and degree-\(t\)-monomials \(f=\prod X^{\alpha_{ij}}_{ij}\) (here in an infinite set of indeterminates). Section 2. `Gröbner bases of determinantal ideals', opens by defining a certain partial order \(H\) on the set of minors \(M=[a_ 1,\dots,a_ r| b_ 1,\dots,b_ r]=\det(X_{a_ ib_ j})\), \(1\leq_ ?a_ 1<\cdots<a_ r\leq m\), \(1\leq_ ?b_ 1<\cdots<b_ r\leq n\), \(r\leq\min\{m,n\}\), of matrix \(X\) ((?): misprints on p. 8?): If \(N=[a_ 1',\dots,a_ s'| b_ 1',\dots,b_ s']\in H\), then \(M\leq N\) if \(r\geq s\) and \(a_ i\leq a_ i'\), \(b_ i\leq b_ i'\). Given above \(M\), set \(a_{r+1}=m+1\), \(b_{r+1}=n+1\). Define submatrices \(D_ t:=\{X_{ij}:i<a_ t, j<b_ t\}\) of \(X\) for \(t=1,\dots,r+1\), and sets \(I_ M\), \(P_ M\), \(J_ M\) by \[ I_ M=\{N\in H:N\not\geq M\},\quad P_ M=\text{ideal}(I_ M), \] \[ J_ M=\bigcup^{r+1}_{t=1}\{[a_ 1',\dots,a_ t'| b_ 1',\dots,b_ t']:\;i<t\Leftrightarrow a_ i'\geq a_ i,b_ i'\geq b_ i\}. \] Following \textit{B. Sturmfels} [Math. Z. 205, No. 1, 137-144 (1990; Zbl 0685.13005)] in that a KRSc and a straightening law are used, the authors obtain: Theorem: \(P_ M\) is generated by the \(t\)-minors of \(D_ t\), \(t=1,\dots,r+1\), and \(J_ M\) is a minimal set of generators, in fact a Gröbner basis for \(P_ M\) with respect to the lexicographic term order of \(R\) induced by the variable order \(X_{11}>\cdots> X_{1m}> X_{21}>\cdots> X_{2m}> X_{n1}> \cdots> X_{nm}\). Section 3, `Multiplicity of determinantal ideals': Gröbner bases yield that if \(Q\) is a homogeneous ideal and \(Q^*\) the ideal generated by the leading monomials of \(Q\), then the Hilbert functions of \(R/Q\) and \(R/Q^*\) are the same. Put \(Q=P_ M\). Then \(Q^*\) is generated by squarefree monomials and by results of \textit{R. P. Stanley} [``Combinatorics and commutative algebra'', Prog. Math. 41 (1983; Zbl 0537.13009)] the Hilbert function of \(R/Q^*\) is expressible by the so- called \(f\)-vector \((f_ 0,\dots,f_ d)\) of a certain simplicial complex \(\Delta\) associated to \(Q^*\); here \(f_ i\) is the number of \(i\)- dimensional faces of \(\Delta\), and \(d\) its dimension. The Hilbert function for \(R/P_ M\) so obtained yields the multiplicity of the determinantal ring \(R/P_ M\) as \(e(R/P_ M)=f_ d\). The authors realise that \(f_ d\) can be interpreted as the number of certain families of nonintersecting paths in the grid \(\mathbb{N}\times\mathbb{N}\). According to a method of \textit{I. Gessel} and \textit{G. Viennot} [Adv. Math. 58, 300-321 (1985; Zbl 0579.05004)], the number of these families can be computed in terms of a binomial determinant. Thus the authors get \[ e(R/P_ M)=\text{det}\left[{m+n-a_ i-b_ j\choose m-a_ i}\right], \] replacing older more complicated expressions by Galligo and Abhyankar. Sections 4, 5, and 6 study, using roughly similar techniques, ladder determinantal ideals [see \textit{H. Narasimhan}, J. Algebra 102, 162-185 (1986; Zbl 0604.14045)], Pfaffian ideals, and weighted determinantal and Pfaffian ideals.