Hilbert-Kunz functions for irreducible plane curves (Q2460819)

Let \(k\) be an algebraically closed field, \(ch(k)=p>0, f\in k[x,y,z]\) be an irreducible polynomial of degree \(d\), defining a projective plane curve \(C.\) Let \(e_n(f)=\dim_k(k[x,y,z]/(x^q,y^q,z^q,f)\) where \(q=p^n.\) Then \(e_n\leq dq^2\) and \(e_{n+1}\geq p^2e_n.\) It follows that \(e_n=\mu p^{2n}-R_n, R_n\geq 0,\) with \(\mu\geq\frac{3d}{4}\) and \(R_n=O(p^n)\), where \(\mu=\lim\frac{e_n}{p^{2n}}\) is the Hilbert-Kunz multiplicity of \(f.\) When \(C\) is smooth, \(R_n=O(1)\) and \(R_n\) is eventually periodic if \(C\) is defined over finite fields. The author is generalizing these results, dropping the smoothness assumptions. He gives precise estimates for \(R_n\) and shows that an additional term appears in \(R_n.\) For curves defined over finite fields he also extends the previous results.