A question of Nori: Projective generation of ideals (Q1417759)

The authors prove the following theorem: Let \(k\) be an infinite perfect field and \(A\) be a regular affine domain over \(k\) of dimension \(d\). Let \(n\) be an integer such that \(2n\geq d+3\). Let \(I\subset A[T]\) be an ideal of height \(n\) and assume that we are given a surjection \(P\to I/I^2T\), where \(P\) is a projective module of rank \(n\) over \(A\). Then one has a surjection \(P[T]\to I\) which is a lift of the given surjection. This answers a question of \textit{M. V. Nori} raised in the appendix (p. 645--646) to a paper of \textit{S. Mandal} [J. Algebr. Geom. 1, No. 4, 639--646 (1992; Zbl 0796.14011)], where Mandal proves this theorem with relaxed hypothesis on the ring, but that \(I\) contains a monic polynomial. The case of \(A\) being a local ring coming from a smooth variety was settled by \textit{S. Mandal} and \textit{P. L. N. Varma} [Commun. Algebra. 25, 451--457 (1997; Zbl 0881.13012)]. \textit{S. M. Bhatwadekar} and \textit{R. Sridharan} proved the result when \(\dim A[T]/I=1\) [Invent. Math. 133, 161--192 (1998; Zbl 0936.13005)]. The main idea of the proof involves, following Quillen's solution to Serre's problem, that a certain multiplicatively closed subset is actually an ideal. Thus, one reduces the problem to the local case, which has been settled by Mandal and Varma.