Big Cohen-Macaulay and seed algebras in equal characteristic zero via ultraproducts (Q2281463)

An algebra \(B\) over a Noetherian local ring \(R\) is called a \textit{big Cohen-Macaulay algebra} if there exists a system of parameters of \(R\) that is a regular sequence on \(B\). If this is true of \textit{every} system of parameters of \(R\), then \(B\) is called a \textit{balanced} big Cohen-Macaulay algebra. Hochster and Huneke showed that the absolute integral closure \(R^+\) of an excellent local domain \(R\) of prime characteristic is a balanced big Cohen-Macaulay \(R\)-algebra [\textit{M. Hochster} and \textit{C. Huneke}, Ann. Math. (2) 135, No. 1, 53--89 (1992; Zbl 0753.13003)]. Although this result is false in equal characteristic zero, it allows one to construct big Cohen-Macaulay algebras over any equicharacteristic Noetherian local ring. \textit{G. D. Dietz} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 359, No. 12, 5959--5989 (2007; Zbl 1143.13015)] developed a theory of \(R\)-algebras called \textit{seeds}, that map to balanced big Cohen-Macaulay \(R\)-algebras. He showed that in prime characteristic seeds are characterized by the existence of certain colon-killers, and that the property of being a seed is preserved by integral extensions, tensor products, and certain base changes. In the paper under review, these results are extended to equal characteristic zero, using the method of ultraproducts of commutative rings introduced by Schoutens and Aschenbrenner for the reduction to positive characteristic (see, e.g., [\textit{H. Schoutens}, The use of ultraproducts in commutative algebra. Dordrecht: Springer (2010; Zbl 1205.13002); \textit{M. Aschenbrenner} and \textit{H. Schoutens}, Isr. J. Math. 161, 221--310 (2007; Zbl 1156.13011)]). These results show, in particular, that if \(R\) is a Noetherian local domain in equal characteristic zero, then its absolute integral closure \(R^+\), although typically not a big Cohen-Macaulay \(R\)-algebra, is a seed over \(R\).