The \(\text{v} \)-number of monomial ideals (Q2082536)

In the paper under review, the authors establish various inequalities concerning v-numbers of monomial ideals in a polynomial ring over a field. This new invariant of graded ideals was introduced in [\textit{S. M. Cooper} et al., Adv. Appl. Math. 112, Article ID 101940, 34 p. (2020; Zbl 1428.13048)] in the study of Reed-Muller-type codes. Let \(R = K[x_1,\ldots,x_n] = \bigoplus_{d=0}^{\infty}R_d\) be the standard graded polynomial ring in \(n\) variables over a field \(K\). Consider a proper graded ideal \(I\) of \(R\). The v-number of \(I\), denoted v\((I)\), is defined to be \[ \min\{d \ge 0 : \exists\, f \in R_d \text{ and } p \in \mathrm{Ass}(I), \text{ with }(I:f) = p\}. \] For a simple graph \(G\), let \(I(G)\) denote the edge ideal of \(G\), while \(\mathrm{im}(G)\) denotes the induced matching number of \(G\). The Castelnuovo-Mumford regularity of \(I\) is denoted by \(\mathrm{reg}(I)\). In this article, the authors show that the v-number of an arbitrary monomial ideal is bounded below by the v-number of its polarization, and find a criteria for the equality. By showing the additivity of associated primes, they obtain the additivity of the v-numbers for arbitrary monomial ideals. Moreover, they establish that v\((I(G))\le \mathrm{im}(G)\le \mathrm{reg}(R/I(G))\), where \(G\) is either a bipartite graph, or a \((C_4,C_5)\)-free vertex decomposable graph, or a whisker graph. They ensure that the difference between v\((I(G))\) and \(\mathrm{reg}(R/I(G))\) can be arbitrarily large. The authors give a counter-example to an open problem raised by \textit{D. Jaramillo} and \textit{R. H. Villarreal} [J. Comb. Theory, Ser. A 177, Article ID 105310, 35 p. (2021; Zbl 1448.13037)] whether v\((I) \le \mathrm{reg}(R/I)+1\) for any square-free monomial ideal \(I\). They show that v\((I(G)) >\mathrm{reg}(R/I(G))+1\) for a disconnected graph \(G\). The authors derive some inequalities of v-numbers, which may be helpful to answer the above problem for the case of connected graphs. Finally, the authors propose some open problems related to the v-number in terms of regularity, depth and induced matching number.