Chern coefficients and Cohen-Macaulay rings (Q2401716)

Let \(R\) be a Noetherian local ring with maximal ideal \(\mathfrak{m}\), \(d=\dim R>0\), and \(k=R/{\mathfrak{m}}\) is the infinite residue field. Let \(I\) be an \(\mathfrak{m}\)-primary ideal of \(R\) and \(e_i(I)\) be the Hilbert coefficients of \(I\). The leading coefficient \(e_0(I)\) is said to be the multiplicity of \(I\) and \(e_1(I)\) the Chern coefficient of \(I\). Let the number \(N(I;R)=\ell((I:{\mathfrak{m}})/I)\) of irreducible ideals of \(R\) that appear in an irredundant irreducible decomposition of \(I\) be the index of reducibility of \(I\). In the paper under review, the author provides a characterization of a Cohen-Macaulay ring in terms of its index of reducibility, Cohen-Macaulay type, and the Chern coefficients for parameter ideals. He obtains characterizations of a Gorenstein ring in terms of its Chern coefficients for parameter ideals.