A remark on a conjecture of Hain and Looijenga (Q2391372)

Let \(\overline{M}_{g,n}\) be the moduli space of stable genus \(g\) curves with \(n\) ordered marked points. Let \(M_{g,n}^{ct}\) (resp. \(M_{g,n}^{rt}\)) be the subspace parameterizing curves of compact type (resp. with rational tails). Denote by \(R^{\bullet}(-)\) the tautological ring for these spaces. Define \(R_c^{\bullet}(M_{g,n}^{rt})\) as the set of elements in \(R^{\bullet}(\overline{M}_{g,n})\) that restrict trivially to \(\overline{M}_{g,n} \backslash M_{g,n}^{rt}\). In this paper under review, the author shows that \(R^{\bullet}(M_{g,n}^{rt})\) and \(R^{\bullet}(\overline{M}_{g,n})\) are Gorenstein for all \((g,n)\) if and only if \(R_c^{\bullet}(M_{g,n}^{rt})\) is a free \(R^{\bullet}(M_{g,n}^{rt})\)-module of rank one for all \((g,n)\). Reviewer's note: \textit{D. Petersen} and \textit{O. Tommasi} have proved that the Gorenstein conjecture fails for the tautological ring of \(\overline{M}_{2,n}\) for \(n\) equal to at least one of the integers \(8, 12, 16, 20\) [Invent. Math., online first, (2013; \url{doi:10.1007/s00222-013-0466-z})].