Mather discrepancy as an embedding dimension in the space of arcs (Q1707958)

For an algebraic variety \(X\) over a field \(k\), its space of arcs \(X_\infty\) (introduced in [\textit{J. F. Nash jun.}, Duke Math. J. 81, No. 1, 31--38 (1995; Zbl 0880.14010)]) is intrisically associated with it, and it bears important information about the singularities of \(X\). A cylinder set is preimage of a constructible set in some jet scheme \(X_m\) by the truncation morphism \(\psi_m : X_\infty \to X_m\). The stable points of \(X_\infty\) are fat points of finite codimension which are the generic points of irreducible cylinders. Given a stable point \(P\), it is important to understand the properties of the local ring \(\mathcal{O}_{X_\infty,P}\) and its completion \(\widehat{\mathcal{O}_{X_\infty,P}}\). For example it is known that the latter is Noetherian ([\textit{A. J. Reguera}, Compos. Math. 142, No. 1, 119--130 (2006; Zbl 1118.14004)]). A main goal of this article is to compute or evaluate the dimension of the local ring. Let \(E\) be an exceptional divisor in a resolution of singularities \(\pi : Y \to X\), with \(k_E\) being the discrepancy of \(X\) with respect to \(E\). The Mather discrepancy for \(E\) ([\textit{T. de Fernex} et al., Publ. Res. Inst. Math. Sci. 44, No. 2, 425--448 (2008; Zbl 1162.14023)]) is defined as \(\hat{k}_E := \mathrm{ord}_E(\hat{K}_{Y/X})\). Suppose \(X\) is a reduced scheme of finite type over field of characteristic 0, and \(\nu\) is a divisorial valuation on an irreducible component \(X_0 \subset X\) whose center lies in \(X_{\mathrm{sing}}\). Take a resolution of singularities \(\pi : Y \to X\) such that the center of \(\nu\) on \(Y\) is a divisor \(E\). It defines a cylinder set \(N_{eE}\) of the arcs with contact \(e \geq 1\) with \(E\), and so its generic point is a stable point \(P_{eE} \in X_\infty\). In general, for any stable point \(Q\), \(\dim\mathcal{O}_{X_\infty,Q} \leq \operatorname{codim} X_\infty Z(Q)\) ([\textit{L. Ein} and \textit{M. Mustaţă}, Proc. Symp. Pure Math. 80, Pt. 2, 505--546 (2009; Zbl 1181.14019)]). In order to study \(\widehat{\mathcal{O}_{X_\infty,P_{eE}}}\), \(X_0\) is embedded in a complete intersection affine scheme \(X'\) of dimension \(\dim(X_0)\), which is an overweight deformation of an affine toric variety, associated to \(\nu\). Using this is proved that \(\operatorname{embdim}\mathcal{O}_{(X_\infty)_{\mathrm{red}},P_{eE}} = \operatorname{embdim}\widehat{\mathcal{O}_{(X_\infty),P_{eE}}} = e(\hat{k}_E + 1)\) (see also [\textit{A. J. Reguera}, J. Algebra 494, 40--76 (2018; Zbl 1388.13001)]; Am. J. Math. 131, No. 2, 313--350 (2009; Zbl 1188.14010)]). In other words, the embedding dimension of \(\mathcal{O}(X_\infty)_{\mathrm{red}},P_{eE}\) is the codimension of \(N_{eE}\) as a cylinder set. Moreover, it is described explicitly a minimal system of coordinates for \((\mathcal{O}_{(X_\infty)_{\mathrm{red}},P_{eE}})\), that is, a regular system of parameters with \(e(\hat{k}_E + 1)\) coordinates. To obtain a lower bound for \(\dim \widehat{\mathcal{O}_{(X_\infty),P_{eE}}}\), \(X\) is embedded in a complete intersection scheme \(X'\) with the same Mather discrepancy, and with a divisor \(E'\) over \(X'\) which defines the same valuation \(\nu = \nu_{E'}\). The Mather-Jacobian log-discrepancy with respect to \(E\) is defined as \(a_{MG}(E,X) := \hat{k}_E -\nu(Jac_X)+1\). Then the ring \(\widehat{\mathcal{O}_{(X_\infty),P_{eE}}}\) could be replaced by \(\widehat{\mathcal{O}_{(X'_\infty),P'_{eE}}}\) and this permits to obtain a lower bound \(\dim \widehat{\mathcal{O}_{(X_\infty),P_{eE}}} \geq ea_{MG}(E, X)\). In particular, when \(X\) is normal and complete intersection, \(\dim \mathcal{O}_{(X_\infty)_{\mathrm{red}},P_{eE}} \geq e(k_E+1)\) holds. If moreover \(\operatorname{codim}_{X_\infty} P_E = 1\), it follows that the discrepancy \(k_E \leq 0\).