On lower bounds for \(s\)-multiplicities (Q2419478)

A continuous family of multiplicities, called \(s\)-multiplicities, was introduced in [\textit{W. D. Taylor}, J. Algebra 509, 212--239 (2018; Zbl 1406.13022)]. Let \(I\) and \(J\) be ideals primary to the unique maximal ideal of a local ring \(R\) of positive characteristic and \(s > 0\) any positive real number. The \(s\)-multiplicities \(e_s(I,J)\) agrees with the Hilbert-Kunz multiplicity of \(J\) for large \(s\)-values and for small \(s\)-values, it agrees with the Hilbert-Samuel multiplicity of \(I\). However, the values of \(e_s(I, J)\) which lie in between these extremal behaviors are not well understood. In the paper under review, the authors obtain certain lower bounds for \(s\)-multiplicities and also raise some open questions. The authors prove that like Hilbert-Kunz multiplicity, the \(s\)-multipliicities satisfy the inequalities: \(e(I)/d! \leq e_s(I,I) \leq e(I).\) Moreover, \(e(I)=e_{HK}(I)\) if and only if \(e_s(I,I)\) is a constant function in \(s\). Their investigation is motivated by the following question: Is \(e_s(\mathfrak{m},\mathfrak{m}) \geq 1\) for all local rings \((R,\mathfrak{m})\) of positive characterisitic. While the authors answer this question in the affirmative for Cohen-Macaulay rings, the question is open in the general case. Further, they obtain an \(s\)-analogue of a lower bound for Hilbert-Kunz multiplicity given in [\textit{K.-I. Watanabe} and \textit{K.-I. Yoshida}, Nagoya Math. J. 162, 87--110 (2001; Zbl 1018.13008); ibid. 177, 47--75 (2005; Zbl 1076.13009)]. As an application, the authors prove an \(s\)-analogue of the Watanabe-Yoshida conjecture for unmixed singular rings of dimension at most \(3\).