The Nash problem and its solution (Q388667)

Let \(E_i\) be an irreducible component of the exceptional divisor of a resolution of singularities of a singular algebraic veriety \(X\). The component \(E_i\) is called \textit{essential} if for any other divisorial resolution of \(X\), \(E_i\) up to birational transform, is an irreducible component of the exceptional divisor of the second resolution. Denote by \(X_\infty^{\mathrm{sing}}\) the set of arcs whose ``origin'' belongs to the singular locus of \(X\). In 1963 \textit{J. Nash} [Duke Math. J. 81, No. 1, 31--38 (1995; Zbl 0880.14010)] proved that \(X_\infty^{\mathrm{sing}}\) has finitely many irreducible components \(F_1,\ldots,F_r\). Let \({\mathcal N}:\{F_1,\ldots,F_r\}\to \{\text{essentional divisors}\}\) be the map sending \(F_i\) to the exceptional divisor \(E_i\) such that the generic arc of \(F_i\) has lifting to the resolution passing throught a general point of the component \(E_i\). J.~Nash (in the above mentioned paper) proved that the map \({\mathcal N}\) is injective and posed the question whether the map is surjective. This question is known as the \textit{Nash Problem of arcs}. From the abstract ``The goal of this paper is to give an historical overview of the Nash problem of arcs in arbitrary dimension, as well as its affirmative solution in dimension two by \textit{J. Fernández de Bobadilla} and \textit{M.~Pe~Pereira} [Ann. Math. (2) 176, No. 3, 2003--2029 (2012; Zbl 1264.14049)] and a negative solution in higher dimension by \textit{S. Ishi} and \textit{J. Kolár} (in dimension greater or equal to 4) [Duke Math. J. 120, No. 3, 601--620 (2003; Zbl 1052.14011)] and by \textit{T. de Fernex} (in dimension 3) [Compos. Math. 149, No. 9, 1519--1534 (2013; Zbl 1285.14013)].''