Linear resolutions and polymatroidal ideals (Q2240269)

Let \(I\subset S=K[x_1,\ldots,x_n]\) be a monomial ideal generated in a single degree and \(G(I)\) be the unique minimal set of monomial generators of \(I\). Then \(I\) is said to be polymatroidal, if for any two elements \(u,v\in G(I)\) such that \(\deg_{x_i}(u)> \deg_{x_i}(v)\) there exists an index \(j\) with \(\deg_{x_j}(u)< \deg_{x_j}(v)\) such that \(x_j(u/x_i)\in I\). It has been proved that a monomial localization of a polymatroidal is again polymatroidal [\textit{J. Herzog} et al., J. Algebr. Comb. 37, No. 2, 289--312 (2013; Zbl 1258.13014)]. The monomial localization of a monomial ideal \(I\) with respect to a monomial prime ideal \(P\) is the monomial ideal \(I(P)\) which is obtained from \(I\) by substituting the variables \(x_i\not \in P\) by \(1\). Since all monomial localizations of polymatroidal ideals have a linear resolution, it is natural to ask whether this property characterizes polymatroidal ideals. \textit{S. Bandari} and \textit{J. Herzog} [Eur. J. Comb. 34, No. 4, 752--763 (2013; Zbl 1273.13035)] conjectured that a monomial ideal is polymatroidal if and only if all its monomial localizations have a linear resolution. They gave an affirmative answer to the conjecture in some special cases. In the paper under review the authors give positive answer to the conjecture in the following cases: (a) \(\mathrm{height}(I)=n-1\); (b) \(I\) contains at least \(n-3\) pure powers of the variables; (c) \(I\) is a monomial ideal in at most four variables.