On the projective dimension and the unmixed part of three cubics (Q2464502)

Let \(J\) be an ideal of a polynomial ring \(R=k[X_1,\dots ,X_n]\), \(k\) an arbitrary field, generated by \(N\) homogeneous polynomials of given degrees \(d_1\leq \cdots \leq d_N\). M. E. Stillman asked the following question: is there an upper bound, depending on \(N, d_1,\dots ,d_N\) but not on \(n\), for the projective dimension \(\text{pd}(R/J)\) of \(R/J\) over \(R\)? This question has, obviously, an affirmative answer when \(N\leq 2\) or when \(d_1=\cdots =d_N=1\). Already for \(N=3\) and \(d_1=d_2=d_3=2\), D. Eisenbud and C. Huneke needed non-trivial arguments to verify that \(\text{pd}(R/J)\leq 4\). In the paper under review, the author considers the case where \(N=3\) and \(d_1=d_2=d_3=3\) and proves that if the unmixed part of \(J\) contains a quadric then \(\text{pd}(R/J)\leq 4\). This result serves as a ``stepping stone'' towards the proof of the main result of the author's PhD thesis, [Bounds on projective dimension, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS (2005)], which asserts that, for \(N=3\) and \(d_1=d_2=d_3=3\), \(\text{pd}(R/J)\leq 36\). One can easily reduce the proof to the case where \(\text{ht}(J)=2\). The key ingredient used by the author is the following theorem: if \(J\) is a three generated ideal of height 2 of \(R\), if \(I\) is the unmixed part of \(J\) (i.e., the intersection of the primary components of \(J\) of height 2), and if \(I^{\prime}=(a,b):I\) is the ideal linked to \(I\) by a complete intersection ideal \((a,b)\subset I\), then \(\text{pd}(R/J)\leq \text{pd}(R/I^{\prime})+1\), with equality if \(\text{pd}(R/J)\geq 4\). This result extends a result of \textit{C. Huneke} and \textit{B. Ulrich} [J. Reine Angew. Math. 390, 1--20 (1988; Zbl 0732.13004)] and of \textit{C.-T. Fan} [J. Pure Appl. Algebra 105, No. 2, 167--182 (1995; Zbl 0843.13001)] who showed that if \(R/I\) is Cohen-Macaulay then \(\text{pd}(R/J)\leq 3\). Next, the author classifies the height 2 unmixed ideals \(I\subset R\) of multiplicity \(\text{e}(R/I)=2\) and shows that, in this case, \(\text{pd}(R/I)\leq 3\). Now, let \(J\subset R\) be an ideal generated by three cubics, with \(\text{ht}(J)=2\), and let \(I\) be the unmixed part of \(J\). If \(\text{e}(R/I)\leq 2\) then, using the classification, the author shows that \(\text{pd}(R/J)\leq 4\). Assume, now, that \(\text{e}(R/I)\geq 3\) and that \(I\) contains a quadric \(q\). Since \(J\) is generated by cubics, there exists a cubic \(p\in J\subseteq I\) such that \(q,\;p\) form a regular sequence. If \(I=(q,p)\) then \(\text{pd}(R/J)\leq 3\). If not, let \(I^{\prime}:=(q,p):I\). One has \(\text{e}(R/I^{\prime})=6-\text{e}(R/I)\). If \(\text{e}(R/I^{\prime})\leq 2\) then \(\text{pd}(R/I^{\prime})\leq 3\) hence \(\text{pd}(R/J)\leq 4\). It remains the case where \(\text{e}(R/I^{\prime})= \text{e}(R/I)=3\) and in this case the author works hard.