Stanley-Reisner rings, sheaves, and Poincaré-Verdier duality (Q1429369)

The notion of squarefree module over a polynomial ring \(S=k[x_1,\dots,x_n]\) was introduced by the author [see \textit{K. Yanagawa}, J. Algebra 225, No.2, 630-645 (2000; Zbl 0981.13011)], as a generalization of the Stanley-Reisner ring \(k[\Delta]=S/I_{\Delta}\) of a simplicial complex \(\Delta \subset 2^{\{1,\dots,n\}}\). The aim of this paper is to give a geometric meaning of squarefree modules. The author constructs the \(k\)-sheaf \(M^+\) on an \((n-1)\)-simplex \(B\) which is the geometric realization of \(2^{\{1,\dots,n\}}\). For example, \(k[\Delta]^+\) is (the direct image to \(B\) of) the constant sheaf on the geometric realization \(| \Delta| \subset B\). It is proved that for every squarefree module \(M\) it holds \(H^i(B,M^+) \cong [H_m^{i+1}(M)]_0\) for all \(i \geq 1\). The Poincaré-Verdier duality for sheaves \(M^+\) on \(B\) corresponds to the local duality for squarefree modules over \(S\). For example, if \(| \Delta| \) is a manifold, then \(k[\Delta]\) is a Buchsbaum ring and its canonical module \(K_{k[\Delta]}\) is a squarefree module which gives the orientation sheaf of \(| \Delta| \) with coefficients in \(k\).