The structure of Koszul algebras defined by four quadrics (Q2122224)

A graded ideal \(I\) in a standard graded polynomial ring \(S\) over a field \(k\) defines a Koszul algebra \(R=S/I\) if \(k\cong R/R_{+}\) has a linear free resolution over \(R\). We say that \(R\) or \(I\) is \(G\)-quadratic if, after a suitable linear change of coordinates \(\varphi:S\rightarrow S\), the ideal \(\varphi(I)\) has a Gröbner basis consisting of quadrics. We also say that \(R\) or \(I\) is \(LG\)- quadratic if \(R\) is a quotient of a \(G\)-quadratic algebra \(A\) by an \(A\)-sequence of linear forms. Since deforming by a regular sequence of linear forms preserves Koszulness, every \(LG\)-quadratic algebra is also Koszul. \textit{L. L. Avramov}, \textit{A. Conca} and \textit{S. B. Iyengar} ask the following question in [Math. Res. Lett. 17, No. 2, 197--210 (2010; Zbl 1231.13012)]: If \(R\) is Koszul and \(I\) is minimally generated by \(g\) quadrics, does \(\beta_{i}^{S}(R)\leq\binom{g}{i}\) hold for all \(i\)? In particular, is \(\text{pd}_{S}R\leq g\)? At here, \(\beta_{i}^{S}(R)\) is the \(i\)-th total Betti number of \(R\) and \(\text{pd}_{S}R\) is the projective dimension of \(R\) over \(S\). This question is known to have an affirmative answer when \(R\) is \(LG\)-quadratic, Koszul algebras defined by \(g\leq3\) quadrics, and Koszul almost complete intersections (where \(\text{ht}I=g-1\)) with any number of generators. In [\textit{P. Mantero} and \textit{M. Mastroeni}, J. Pure Appl. Algebra 225, No. 2, Article ID 106504, 15 p. (2021; Zbl 1452.13014)], the authors give a strong affirmative answer to the question for \(g=4\) quadrics by determining the possible Betti tables of Koszul algebras defined by height two ideals minimally generated by four quadrics. The current paper is the natural continuation of the authors' previous work. The main result (Theorem 3.1) is a structure theorem for the height two ideals generated by four quadrics defining Koszul algebras over an algebraically closed field. Combining it with previous structure theorems for Koszul almost complete intersections with any number of generators by the second author [J. Algebra 501, 285--302 (2018; Zbl 1406.13015)], yields a complete description of the structure of Koszul algebras defined by \(g\leq4\) quadrics. Almost all known examples of Koszul algebras are \(LG\)-quadratic. \textit{A. Conca} gives an example that is Koszul but it is not \(LG\)-quadratic in [Lect. Notes Math. 2108, 1--31 (2014; Zbl 1328.13001)]. The authors show that Conca's example is also minimal in terms of the number of quadrics.