Holomorphic \(q\)-hulls in top degrees (Q1352941)

The author introduces a generalization of the holomorphic convex hull \(\widehat K_X\) of a compact set \(K\) in a complex space \(X\). If \(q\) is a positive integer, the holomorphic \(q\)-hull \(\widehat K_X^{(q)}\) of \(K\) is the intersection of all sets \(F^{-1}(\nu(F(K))\), where \(F\) runs through the set of holomorphic maps \(F: X \longrightarrow \mathbb C^q\) and \(\nu(F(K))\) is the topologically convex hull of \(F(K)\). For a Stein space \(X\) of dimension \(n\) it is proved that the holomorphic \(n\)-hull \(K_X^{(n)}\) of \(K\) is the union of \(K\) and of all the irreducible components of \(X-K\) that are relatively compact in \(X\). The proof relies on the following result, that is interesting in itself: For any discrete set of points \(M\) of an irreducible Stein space \(X\), there is a holomorphic function \(f\) on \(X\) such that its zero set is an irreducible hypersurface that contains \(M\).