The initial ideal of generic sequences and Fröberg's conjecture (Q1727699)

We let $R$ denote the polynomial ring $R = K[x_1, \ldots, x_n]$ where $K$ is an infinite field and say that a homogeneous ideal $I \subset R$ is of type $(n; d_1, \ldots, d_r)$ if $I$ is generated by $r$ forms of degrees $d_1, \ldots, d_r$. Recall that the Hilbert function of $A = R/I$ is defined by $HF_A(t):=\dim_K R_t/I_t$ for every $t \geq 0$ and the Hilbert series of $A$ is given by $HS_A(z) = \sum_{t \geq 0} HF_A(t)z^t$. This paper studies the Hilbert series of $A$ when $I$ is a generic ideal. Here, the paper uses Fröberg's definition of a generic ideal given in [\textit{R. Fröberg}, Math. Scand. 56, 117--144 (1985; Zbl 0582.13007)], namely: {Definition:} Let $K$ be an extension of a base field $F$. A form of degree $d$ in $R = K[x_1, \ldots, x_n]$ is called \textit{generic} over $F$ if it is a linear combination of all monomials of degree $d$ and all coefficients are algebraically independent over $F$. A homogeneous ideal $(f_1, \ldots, f_r)$ is called \textit{generic} if all $f_i$ are generic forms with all the coefficients algebraically independent over $F$. In the same paper, Fröberg stated the following conjecture: {Fröberg's Conjecture:} Let $I = (f_1, \ldots, f_r)$ be a generic homogeneous ideal of type $(n; d_1, \ldots, d_r)$ in $R = K[x_1, \ldots, x_n]$. Then the Hilbert series of $A = R/I$ is given by \[ HS_A(z) = \left \lceil{\frac{\prod_{i=1}^r(1-z^{d_i})}{(1-z)^n}} \right \rceil. \] Fixing the degree reverse lexicographic order, we let $in(I)$ denote the initial ideal of $I$. We also denote by $\max(x^{\beta})$ the largest index $i$ such that $x_i$ divides $x^{\beta}$. In [J. Algebra 324, No. 4, 579--590 (2010; Zbl 1200.13025)], \textit{K. Pardue} stated the following conjecture and proves that it is equivalent to Fröberg's Conjecture: {Pardue's Conjecture:} Let $I = (f_1, \ldots, f_n)$ be a generic homogeneous ideal of type $(n;d_1, \ldots, d_n)$ in $R = K[x_1, \ldots, x_n]$. If $x^{\mu}$ is a minimal generator of $in(I)$ with $\max(x^{\mu}) = m$ and $\deg(x^{\mu}) = d$, then every monomial of degree $d$ in the variables $x_1, \ldots, x_{m-1}$ must be in $in(I)$ as well. A nice list of references for partial results on Pardue's Conjecture is given in the Introduction section of the paper under review. To state the main results of the paper, we need to set the following notation: for $n \geq 4$, assume that $d_1 \leq \cdots \leq d_n$ and for every $1 \leq i \leq n$, set \[ \begin{aligned} \delta_i & = d_1 + \cdots + d_i - i \\ \sigma_i & = \min \left\{ \delta_{i-1}, \left \lfloor{\frac{\delta_i}{2}} \right \rfloor \right \} \qquad \text{for all $i \geq 2$}. \end{aligned} \] The main results of this paper include proofs that Pardue's Conjecture is true for the following cases: \begin{itemize} \item $n \leq 3$ (Theorem 4.3 of the paper) \item $n \geq 4$ and $d_1 \leq \cdots \leq d_n$ where $d_i \geq \sigma_{i-1}$ for all $4 \leq i \leq n$. \end{itemize} As a consequence, the author also shows: {Theorem:} Let $I = (f_1, \ldots, f_r) \subset R = K[x_1, \ldots, x_n]$ be a generic homogeneous ideal of type $(n; d_1, \ldots, d_r)$ with $r \leq n+2$ and $d_1 \leq \cdots \leq d_r$. If $r \leq 3$ or $r \geq 4$ and $d_i \geq \sigma_{i-1}$ for every $4 \leq i \leq r$, then the Hilbert series of $R/I$ is given by \[ HS_A(z) = \left \lceil{\frac{\prod_{i=1}^r(1-z^{d_i})}{(1-z)^n}} \right \rceil. \] The author's approach to these results involves comparing the ideal $I$ to another ideal $J$. Using the notation from the paper, we let $R' = K[x_1, \ldots, x_n, z]$ and fix the order $x_1 > \cdots > x_n > z$ (again using the degree reverse lexicographic order). Let $I = (f_1, \ldots, f_n)$ be a generic homogeneous ideal of type $(n+1; d_1, \ldots, d_n)$ in $R'$ and $g$ be a generic form in $R'$. Define $\pi: R' \rightarrow R = K[x_1, \ldots, x_n]$ to be the ring homomorphism which sends $z$ to zero and fixes $x_1, \ldots, x_n$ and the elements in $K$. Define $J$ to be $J:=\pi(I)$. Note that $J$ is a generic homogeneous ideal of type $(n; d_1, \ldots, d_n)$ in $R$. Underlying the proofs of the main results of this paper is: {Theorem:} Let $(I,g) = (f_1, \ldots, f_n, g)$ be a generic homogeneous ideal of type $(n+1; d_1, \ldots, d_n, d)$ in $R' = K[x_1, \ldots, x_n, z]$ where $d_1 \leq \cdots \leq d_n \leq d$. If Pardue's Conjecture is true for $J = \pi(I)$ and \[ d \geq \min \left\{ d_1 + \cdots + d_{n-1} - (n-1), \left \lfloor{\frac{d_1 + \cdots + d_n - n}{2}} \right \rfloor \right \}, \] then Pardue's Conjecture is also true for $(I,g)$. The paper concludes with applications and connections to semi-regular sequences on $R/I$.