Stiffness of finite free resolutions and the canonical element conjecture. (Q1408446)

Let \((A, \mathfrak m, k)\) denote a local Noetherian ring. Let \(f : A^m \to A^n\) denote a homomorphism of free modules. For a basis of \(A^m\), and \(A^n\) respectively, \(f\) is described by a rectangular matrix with entries in \(A.\) The elements in each particular column generate an ideal \(\mathfrak c\) in \(A.\) Write \(\text{gr} \mathfrak c\) for the length of a longest regular sequence contained in \(\mathfrak c\) with the convention of \(\text{gr}\mathfrak c = \infty\) for the case of \(\mathfrak c = A.\) Let \(F_{\bullet} : 0 \to F_s \to \ldots \to F_i \to F_{i-1} \to \ldots \to F_0\) denote an acyclic minimal complex of free modules. It is called `stiff' if, regardless of base choice, \(\text{ gr} \,\mathfrak c \geq i\) for every column ideal belonging to \(d_i : F_i \to F_{i-1}\) for \(i = 1, \ldots, s.\) The ring \(A\) is called stiff if every such complex is stiff. The authors prove the following two theorems: (1) Every Noetherian local ring of equal characteristic is stiff. (2) Consider \((A, \mathfrak m, k)\) of a fixed residual characteristic. Then every ring of this type satisfies the canonical element conjecture [cf. \textit{M. Hochster}, J. Algebra 84, 503--553 (1983; Zbl 0562.13012)] if and only if every Gorenstein ring of this type is stiff. The authors note that (1) had already been obtained (in a different formulation) by \textit{M. Huneke} and \textit{C. Hochster} [in: Commutative algebra, Proc. Microprogram, Berkeley 1989, Publ., Math. Sci. Res. Inst. 15, 305--324 (1989; Zbl 0741.13002)], and \textit{E. G. Evans jun.} and \textit{P. A. Griffith} [ibid., 213--225 (1989; Zbl 0735.13007)]. Here there is a more transparent idea for a direct proof of (1). The result (2) is a consequence of a more general statement related to Auslander's \(\delta\)-conjecture.