Uniform bounds on symbolic powers (Q2445014)

Let \(R\) be a commutative Noetherian ring with \(1\). Let \(I\) be an ideal of \(R\) and let \(S=R\backslash \cup P_{i}\) where \(P_{i}\) ranges over associated primes of \(I.\) Then the \(nth\) symbolic power of \(I\) is the ideal \( I^{(n)}=I^{n}R_{S}\cap R.\) Thus for a prime ideal \(P\) we have \( P^{(n)}=P^{n}R_{P}\cap R.\) Obviously \(I^{n}\subseteq I^{(n)}\) and it can be established that the equality does not generally hold. This has led researchers to ask (a) about the nature of ideals \(I\) for which \( I^{(n)}=I^{n}\) for some or all positive integers \(n\) (see e.g. \textit{S. Morey} [Commun. Algebra 27, No. 7, 3221--3231 (1999; Zbl 0963.13002)]) or (b) about the number \(h\) such that \( I^{(hn)}\subseteq I^{n}\) for all positive integers \(n,\) or some similar expressions bringing some symbolic power of \(I\) inside a power of \(I\) or some other suitable ideal. \textit{I. Swanson} [Math. Z. 234, No. 4, 755--775 (2000; Zbl 1010.13015)] concentrated on symbolic powers of primes and showed that in a Noetherian local ring \(R\) for every prime ideal \(P\) there is a positive integer \(h,\) depending on \(P,\) such that \( P^{(hn)}\subseteq P^{n}\) for all positive integers \(n.\) On the other hand Ein, Lazarsfield and Smith [\textit{L. Ein} et al., Invent. Math. 144, No. 2, 241--252 (2001; Zbl 1076.13501)] showed that if \(I\) is an unmixed ideal of \(C[X_{1},X_{2},\dots,X_{n}]\) and \(h\) is the largest height of an associated prime ideal of \(I\) then \(I^{(hn)}\subseteq I^{n}\) for all positive integers \(n.\) These results led \textit{M. Hochster} and \textit{C. Huneke} [Invent. Math. 147, No. 2, 349--369 (2002; Zbl 1061.13005)] to prove that for a regular ring \(R,\) containing a field, and ideal \(I\) of \(R,\) if \(h\) is the largest height of an associated prime of \(I\) then \(I^{(hn)}\subseteq I^{n}\) for all positive integers \(n.\) Huneke, Katz and Validashti [\textit{C. Huneke} et al., Ill. J. Math. 53, No. 1, 325--338 (2009; Zbl 1200.13007)] showed that for an equicharacteristic local domain \((R,m)\) that is an isolated singularity and satisfies additional hypothesis we can find an integer \(h\) such that for all prime ideals \(P,\) \(P^{(hn)}\subseteq P^{(n)}.\) The author of the paper under review looks into complete local (Noetherian) domains \((R,m)\) and \ shows that for such a domain \(R\) there is a function \( \beta :Z_{>0}\rightarrow Z_{>0},\) depending on \(R\) such that for each prime ideal \(P\) of \(R\) we have \(P^{(\beta n)}\subseteq m^{n}\) for all positive integers \(n.\) To accomplish this the author uses the so called Strong Approximation Theorem (Theorem 6.1 of [\textit{M. Artin}, Publ. Math., Inst. Hautes Étud. Sci. 36, 23--58 (1969; Zbl 0181.48802)]) and its later generalizations. For a normal Noetherian domain \(R\) that possesses a module finite extension \(S\), generated by \(r\) elements over \(R\), that is regular and is equicharacteristic with dimension \( d<\infty \) the author shows that there is a positive integer \(c\) such that for all prime ideals \(P\) of \(R\) and for all positive integers \(n\) \( P^{(cn)}\subseteq P^{n}\) if \(R\) satisfies in addition the hypothesis of Theorem 4.13 of [\textit{C. Huneke}, Invent. Math. 107, No. 1, 203--223 (1992; Zbl 0756.13001)].