A criterion for spots (Q1821826)

A local ring (S,\({\mathfrak n})\) is called a spot over a local ring (R,\({\mathfrak m})\) when S is the localization of a finitely generated ring extension of R. The authors' criterion for spots involves birational domination of d-dimensional local domains (R,\({\mathfrak m})\) by a local domain (S,\({\mathfrak n})\), i.e. \(R\subseteq S\) have the same quotient field and \({\mathfrak m}=R\cap {\mathfrak n}\), and local domains (R,\({\mathfrak m})\) with property L [for ''Lipman'', see \textit{J. Lipmann}, Ann. Math., II. Ser. 107, 151-207 (1978; Zbl 0349.14004)] which means that every d-dimensional normal spot birationally dominating R is analytically irreducible. Thus the main theorem states that if (R,\({\mathfrak m})\) is a d-dimensional analytically unramified local domain with property L, (S,\({\mathfrak n})\) is either normal or quasi-unmixed and S birationally dominates R, then S is a spot over R. Applications are given for 2-dimensional regular and for excellent local domains, both of which have property L. A similar result is proved for local domains (R,\({\mathfrak m})\) with property \(L_ k\) under which the extension rings now have dimension k.