Minimal systems of generators for ideals of semigroups (Q1380002)

Let \(S\) be a commutative cancellative finitely generated (additive) semigroup with 0 such that \(S\cap(-S)=\{0\}\). Let \(\{n_1,\dots,n_r\}\subset S\) be a set of generators for \(S\). For a field \(k\), the semigroup algebra \(k[S]\) is an \(S\)-graded ring in a trivial way, and the polynomial ring \(R=k[X_1,\dots,X_r]\) can also be considered as an \(S\)-graded ring, assigning the degree \(n_i\) to \(X_i\), and the component \(R_m\) is a finite dimensional \(k\)-vector space (in fact the latter property is equivalent to the condition \(S\cap(-S)=\{0\}\)). Now the \(k\)-algebra epimorphism \(\phi\colon R\to k[S]\) defined by \(\phi(X_i)=n_i\) is a graded homomorphism of degree zero, hence its kernel \(I\) is a homogeneous ideal. This ideal is called ``the defining ideal of the semigroup \(S\)'', or simply, by an abuse of language, ``the ideal of \(S\)''. Based on the method of \textit{A. Campillo} and \textit{P. Pisón} [C. R. Acad. Sci., Paris, Sér. I 316, No. 12, 1303-1306 (1993; Zbl 0816.20050)] the present paper presents an algorithm to compute a minimal system of binomial generators for \(I\). Investigations of this kind have their origin in the study of algebraic curves and go back to \textit{J. Herzog} [Manuscr. Math. 3, 175-193 (1970; Zbl 0211.33801)].