On the generalized Hilbert-Kunz function and multiplicity (Q2190047)

Let \((R,\mathfrak{m})\) denote a \(d\)-dimensional local ring of positive prime characteritic \(p\). For an \(\mathfrak{m}\)-primary ideal \(I\) the Hilbert-Kunz function is \(\ell (R/I^{[p^n]})\). By the work of \textit{G. Seibert} [J. Algebra 125, No. 2, 278--287 (1989; Zbl 0694.13008)] the limit \(\lim_{n \to \infty} \ell (R/I^{[p^n]})/p^{nd}\) exists and is called the Hilbert-Kunz multiplicity \(e_{HK}(I)\) of \(I\). As shown by \textit{S. D. Cutkosky} [Algebra Number Theory 7, No. 9, 2059--2083 (2013; Zbl 1315.13040)], the limit \(\lim_{n \to \infty} \ell (H^0_{\mathfrak{m}}(R)/I^{n})/n^d\) exists for an \(\mathfrak{m}\)-primary ideal \(I\) under some mild restrictions. Here \(H^0_{\mathfrak{m}}(R/I^n)\) denotes the \(\mathfrak{m}\)-torsion of \(R/I^n\). Let \(F(\cdot)\) denote the Frobenius functor and let \(M\) be a finitely generated \(R\)-module. Then the authors study the generalized Hilbert-Kunz function \(\ell (H^0_{\mathfrak{m}}(F^n(M)))\) and, if it exists, the generalized Hilbert-Kunz multiplicity \(e_{eHK}(I) = \lim_{n \to \infty} \ell (H^0_{\mathfrak{m}}(F^n(M)))/p^{n \dim R}\). As a consequence of the authors' investigations it is shown that the limit always exists when \(R\) is excellent, equidimensional and has an isolated singularity. Moreover, if \(R\) is a complete intersection, then the limit is 0 if and only if the projective dimension of \(M\) is less than \(d\), the Krull dimension of \(R\). There are various further results, e.g. there is a quick proof that if \(R\) is a complete intersection of dimension 3, then the Picard group of the punctured spectrum of \(R\) is torsion-free. The authors' results work quite generally for other homological functors and can be used to prove that certain limits recently studied by \textit{H. Brenner} exist over projective varieties (see [``Irrational Hilbert-Kunz multiplicities'', Preprint, \url{arXiv:1305.5873}]).