Inverse systems of zero-dimensional schemes in \(\mathbb P^n\) (Q1939291)

The paper begins with a nice overview of the theory of Macaulay inverse systems. The authors then consider the situation of the inverse system of the ideal of a zero-dimensional scheme \(\mathfrak Z\) in \(\mathbb P^n\), beginning with one that is supported at a point and then passing to the general case. This represents the focus of the paper -- how to pass from the local inverse systems of the irreducible components of \(\mathfrak Z\) to the global inverse system. When \(\mathfrak Z\) is locally Gorenstein, the authors give conditions under which for a general element \(F\) of degree \(d\) that is apolar to \(\mathfrak Z\), one can recover \(\mathfrak Z\) from \(F\). As a consequence, they show that a natural upper bound for the Hilbert function of Gorenstein Artin quotients of the coordinate ring of \(\mathfrak Z\) is achieved for large socle degree. They give some consequences for linkage, and for the uniqueness (in some cases) of generalized additive decompositions of a homogeneous form into powers of linear forms. Many of the results and remarks are labelled with short descriptions for the convenience of the reader.