The homology of parameter ideals (Q1945893)

Let \((R, \mathfrak m)\) be a noetherian local ring of dimension \(d\); \(I\) an \(\mathfrak m\)-primary ideal of \(R\); and \(M\) a finitely generated \(R\)-module with \(\dim_RM = s \geq 0\). Then the length of \(M/I^{n+1}M\) has the form: \[ \lambda_R(M/I^{n+1}M) = e_0(I, M)\binom{n+s}{s} - e_1(I, M)\binom{n+s -1}{s - 1} + \cdots + (-1)^se_s(I, M) \] for all \(n\gg 0\), where \(e_i(I, M)\) are integers for \(0\leq i\leq s\) and called the Hilbert coefficients of \(M\) with respect to \(I\). In which, \(e_0(I, M)\) is the multiplicity of \(M\) relative to \(I\) -- an important invariant of \(M\); and \(e_1(I, M)\) is called the first Hilbert coefficient of \(M\) relative to \(I\) or the Chern number of \(M\) relative to \(I\). \(e_1(I, M)\) has recently been shown to carry homological properties of \(M\) such as generalized Cohen-Macaulayness or Buchsbaumness, specially if \(I\) is a parameter ideal. Let \(Q = (x_1, \dots, x_d)\) be a parameter ideal in \(R\). Let \(\chi(Q) = \sum_{i \geq 0}(-1)^i\lambda_R(H_i(Q))\) be the Euler characteristic of \(Q\) and \(\chi_1(Q) = \sum_{i \geq 1}(-1)^{i - 1}\lambda_R(H_i(Q))\) the first Euler characteristic of \(Q\), where \(H_i(Q)\) is the \(i\)-th homology module of the Koszul complex generated by the system \(x_1, \dots, x_d\) of parameters in \(R\). A classical result of Sere said that \(e_0(Q, R) = \chi(Q)\). This interesting paper study the relationship between the first Hilbert coefficient \(e_1(Q, R)\) and the first Euler characteristic \(\chi_1(Q)\), particularly understand the meaning of an affirmative to the question: \textit{When is \(\chi_1(Q) \geq - e_1(Q, R)?\)} The answer to this question is affirmative when \(Q\) is generated by \(d\)-sequence in the sense of \textit{C. Huneke} [J. Algebra 62, 268--275 (1980; Zbl 0439.13001)]. The main result of this paper is: If \(\mathrm{depth}(R)\geq d -1\) and \(x_1, \dots, x_{d-1}\) form a superficial sequence for \(R\) with respect to \(Q\), then \(\chi_1(Q) \geq - e_1(Q, R)\) if and only if \(x_1, \dots, x_d\) is a \(d\)-sequence and this fact is also equivalent to \(e_2(Q, R) = 0\) and in this case, \(\chi_1(Q) = - e_1(Q, R)\). The assumptions of this result is a similar role as predictors of Cohen-Macaulay property. The authors also give one example to show that the above question itself does not hold true in general. In addition, the paper study a question of whenever two parameters ideal have the same Hilbert function and therefore have the same first Euler characteristic.