Unmixed local rings with minimal Hilbert-Kunz multiplicity are regular (Q2759010)

A classical result of \textit{H. Nagata} [see ``Local rings'' (1975; Zbl 0386.13010)], says that an unmixed local ring \((R,\mathfrak m)\) with multiplicity 1 is regular. Let \(R\) denote a local ring of positive prime characteristic \(p,\) and \(q = p^e\) for an integer \(e > 0.\) For an ideal \(I\) of \(R\) write \(I^{[q]}\) for the ideal generated by the \(q\)-th power of elements of \(I.\) Suppose that \(I\) is \(\mathfrak m\)-primary. Then the Hilbert-Kunz function given by \(L_R(R/I^{[q]})\), \(e \geq 1,\) was introduced by \textit{E. Kunz} [Am. J. Math. 98, 999-1013 (1976; Zbl 0341.13009)]. Moreover, \textit{P. Monsky} [Math. Ann. 263, 43-49 (1983; Zbl 0509.13023)], defined the the Hilbert-Kunz multiplicity \(e_{HK}(I) = \lim_{e \to \infty} L_R(R/I^{[q]})/q^{\dim R},\) and he proved that the limit exists and is a positive real number. In J. Algebra 230, No. 4, 295-317 (2000; Zbl 0964.13008)], \textit{K. Watanabe} and \textit{K. Yoshida} have shown that an unmixed local ring with \(e_{HK}(\mathfrak m) = 1\) is regular, i.e. the analog of Nagata's criterion for the Hilbert-Kunz multiplicity. NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINEIn the present paper the authors give a simpler proof and suggest a third proof of this result. The main ingredient of the authors' consideration is to show that for some ideals the Hilbert-Kunz multiplicity is in a certain sense well-behaved.