Weak F-regularity deforms in \(\mathbb{Q}\)-Gorenstein rings (Q1270996)

Let \((R, \mathfrak m)\) denote a commutative local ring of positive prime characteristic. Suppose that \(R\) is a Cohen-Macaulay ring that possesses a canonical module. The local ring \(R\) is called weakly \(F\)-regular, if any ideal \(I\) of \(R\) is tightly closed. In his article in: Commutative algebra: Syzygies, multiplicities and birational algebra: AMS-IMS-SIAM Summer Res. Conf. Commutative Algebra, Mount Holyoke College 1992, Contemp. Math. 159, 173-196 (1994; Zbl 0803.13004), \textit{M. Hochster} raised the question whether weak \(F\)-regularity deforms, i.e. if \(x \in R\) is \(R\)-regular and \(R/xR\) is weakly \(F\)-regular, is \(R\) weakly \(F\)-regular? In a recent preprint \textit{A. Singh} [``\(F\)-regularity does not deform'' (Preprint)] has shown that in general weak \(F\)-regularity does not deform. In the paper under review the authors give an affirmative answer in the case of \(R\) a local excellent \(\mathbb Q\)-Gorenstein ring. Here \(R\) is called a \(\mathbb Q\)-Gorenstein ring whenever the canonical module is a torsion element in the divisor class group of \(R.\) The proof of the main result is based on the fact that the canonical module of \(R\) is `almost principal' in the case of a \(\mathbb Q\)-Gorenstein ring.