Reduction exponents and the Gorenstein property of blow-up algebras (Q1574460)

Let \(A\) be a local ring of dimension \(d\) having an infinite residue field, and let \(I\subset A\) be an ideal of height \(h>0\). Let us denote by \(R_A(I)\) the Rees algebra of \(I\), by \(G_A(I)\) the form ring of \(A\) with respect to \(I\), and by \(r(I)\) the reduction exponent of \(I\). The paper consists mainly of two parts. In the first part the authors characterize the Gorenstein property of Veronese-subrings of the Rees algebra in terms of reduction exponents. Suppose that \(h\geq 2\) and that \(G_A(I)\) is Cohen-Macaulay. Then \(R_A(I^s)\) is Gorenstein if and only if \(G_A(I)\) is Gorenstein, \(r(I_p)\leq\text{ht}(p)-s-1\) for all asymptotic prime ideals \(p\) of \(I\) and the equality holds here for at least one prime ideal in \(\text{Min}(A/I)\). The next main result of the first part deals with the Gorensteinness of the Veronese-subring \(R_A(I^{h-2})\). It says the following: Let \(A\) be a Gorenstein local ring of dimension \(d\) and let \(I\) an ideal of \(A\) height \(h\geq 3\) such \(R_A(I)\) is Cohen-Macaulay. Assume that \(\text{depth}\) \(A/I^n\geq d-h-n+1\) for all \(n=1,\ldots,l-h\), where \(l=l(I)\) stands for the analytic spread of \(I\). Then \(R_A(I^{h-2})\) is Gorenstein if and only if \(r(I_p)\leq l(I_p)-h+1\) for all asymptotic prime ideals \(p\) of \(I\), and the multiplicity formula \(e_0(I_p)=2\lambda(A_p/I_p)\) holds for all prime ideals \(p\) in \(\text{Min}(A/I)\). In the second main part of the paper the authors explain how the Gorenstein property of blow-up algebras puts constraints upon reduction exponents. If \(h\geq 2\) and \(G_A(I)\) is Gorenstein, then \(r(I)\leq \text{a}(G_A(I))+d-\text{inf}\{\text{depth}(A/I^n)+n-1\}\), where \(\text{a}(G_A(I))\) denotes the a-invariant of \(G_A(I)\). If moreover \(A_p\) is regular for some prime ideal \(p\) in \(\text{Min}(A/I)\), then \(r(I)\leq l-2\), and if \(\text{depth}(A/I)>d-l\), then \(r(I)\leq l-3\). Drop now the Gorenstein assumption on \(G_A(I)\), but assume instead that \(R_A(I^s)\) is Gorenstein for some \(s>0\). If \(G_A(I)\) satisfies Serre's condition \((S_l)\), then \(r(I)\leq l-s-1\). At the end of this part the authors also obtain an upper bound for the reduction exponent without any extra assumptions on \(G_A(I)\). Finally, they give some examples which illustrate the above mentioned results.