Stanley depths of certain Stanley-Reisner rings (Q403075)

Let \(K\) be a field, \(S=K[x_1, \dots, x_n]\) be the polynomial ring over the field \(K\) and \(M\) a non-zero finitely generated \(\mathbb Z^n\)-graded \(S\)-module. Let \(u\in M\) be a homogeneous element and \(Z\subseteq \{x_1, \dots, x_n\}\). The \(K\)-subspace \(uK[Z]\) generated by all elements \(uv\) with \(v\in K[Z]\) is called a Stanley space of dimension \(|Z|\), if it is a free \(K[Z]\)-module. A Stanley decomposition \(\mathcal{D}\) is a finite direct sum of Stanley spaces \[ \mathcal{D}:M=\bigoplus_{i=1}^ru_iK[Z_i]. \] where \(m_i\in M\) is homogeneous and \(Z_i\subseteq \{x_1,\dots, x_n\}\) for \(i=1,\dots, r\). The number \(\mathrm{sdepth}_S(\mathcal{D})=\min\{|Z_i|:i=1,\dots,r\}\) is called the Stanley depth of \(\mathcal{D}\). The Stanley depth of \(M\) is defined to be \[ \mathrm{sdepth}_S(M)=\max\{\mathrm{sdepth}_S(\mathcal{D}): \mathcal{D} \quad {\mathrm {is a Stanley decomposition of M}} \}. \] Stanley's conjecture says that: \[ \mathrm{depth}_S(M)\leq \mathrm{sdepth}_S(M). \] Notice that the Stanley depth of \(M\) as a combinatorial invariant is connected to the depth of \(M\) as a homological invariant. For an introduction of this subject and a comprehensive account of the well-known results in this regard we refer to [\textit{J. Herzog}, Lect. Notes Math. 2083, 3--45 (2013; \url{doi:10.1007/978-3-642-38742-5_1})]. The notion of the size and big size of a monomial ideal were introduced by Lyubeznik and Popescu. In [\textit{J. Herzog} et al., Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 140, No. 2, 493--504 (2012; Zbl 1234.13013)] the authors showed that if \(I\) is a monomial ideal of \(S\), then \(\mathrm{sdepth}\;I \geq 1 + \mathrm{size}\;I\). They conjectured that \(\mathrm{sdepth}\;S/I\geq \mathrm{size}\;I\) for any monomial ideal. The paper under review proves that this inequality is true for any squarefree monomial ideal. It is of great interest to consider Stanley's conjecture for the particular case where \(M\) is either a monomial ideal \(I\subseteq S\) or a quotient \(S/I\). A well-known result says that Stanley's conjecture holds for any squarefree monomial ideal of \(S\) which is an intersection of four monomial prime ideals, see [\textit{D. Popescu}, Commun. Algebra 41, No. 11, 4351--4362 (2013; Zbl 1327.13044)]. The main result of the paper under review shows that Stanley's conjecture holds for \(S/I\) where \(I\) is an intersection of four monomial prime ideals. For the proof, the author first provides a decomposition for \(S/I\). As the ideal \(I\) is the intersection of four monomial prime ideals, the big size of \(I\) is less than or equal \(3\). The proof is divided into two parts, namely, the big size of \(I\) is less than or equal \(2\) (Theorem 4.2) and the big size of \(I\) is \(3\) (Theorem 5.2).