Complete intersections in affine monomial curves (Q2493336)

Let \(k\) and \((d_1,\ldots,d_n)\) be a field and an \(n\)-tuple of positive integers respectively. The kernel \(P\) of the morphism \(k[x_1,\ldots,x_n]\to k[t]\), \(x_i\mapsto t^{d_i}\), is called a toric ideal. Its dimension is \(n-1\). The subject matter of this paper deals with an approach to decide whether or not the ideal \(P\) is a set theoretic complete intersection in the sense that it is the radical of an ideal generated by \(n-1\) binomials. In positive characteristic, \(P\) is always a set theoretic complete intersection [\textit{T. T. Moh}, Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 94, 217--220 (1985; Zbl 0579.14042)]. If the characteristic of \(k\) is zero, \(P\) is a set theoretic complete intersection if and only if it is a complete intersection; that is, \(P\) is generated by \(n-1\) binomials. By using the notion of binary tree, the authors present a combinatorial-geometric approach that leads to an effective criterion for the complete intersection of \(P\) [cf. \textit{C. Delorme}, Ann. Sci. Éc. Norm. Supér., IV. Sér. 9, 145--154 (1976; Zbl 0325.20065); \textit{M. Morales} and \textit{A. Thoma}, J. Algebra 284, No. 2, 755--770 (2005; Zbl 1076.13006)].