On the existence of maximal Cohen-Macaulay modules over 𝑝th root extensions (Q4252907)

Let \(R\) be a Noetherian local ring. In considering the local homological conjectures over \(R\), one may reduce to the situation where \(R\) is a finite extension of an unramified regular local ring \(S\). Therefore, it is a natural point of departure to assume that \(R\) is the integral closure of \(S\) in a ``well-behaved'' algebraic extensions of its quotient field. Certainly, when \(S\) has mixed characteristic \(p>0\), one ought to consider the case that \(R\) is an integral closure of \(S\) in an extension of its quotient field obtained by adjoining the \(p\)-th root of an element of \(S\). This was done by \textit{J. Koh} [J. Algebra 99, 310-323 (1986; Zbl 0602.13008)] who showed that \(S\) is a direct summand of \(R\), i.e., the direct summand conjecture holds for the extension \(S\subseteq R\). In this note we show that a number of the other local homological conjectures holds for such \(R\) by showing that \(R\) admits a finite, birational module \(M\) satisfying \(\text{depth}(M)= \dim(R)\) [see \textit{M. Hochster}, ``Topics in the homological theory of modules over commutative rings'', Conf. Board Math. Sci., Regional Conf. Ser. Math. 24 (1975; Zbl 0302.13003)]. In other words, \(R\) admits a maximal Cohen-Macaulay module. Such a module is necessarily free over \(S\). Aside from regularity, one of the crucial points in the mixed characteristic case seems to be that \(S/pS\) is integrally closed. By contrast, using an example by \textit{M. Hochster} and \textit{J. E. McLaughlin} [Ill. J. Math. 27, 94-103 (1983; Zbl 0504.13003)], Roberts has noted that even if \(S\) is Cohen-Macaulay UFD, and \(R\) is the integral closure of \(S\) in a quadratic extension of quotient fields, \(R\) need not admit a finite, \(S\)-free module at all [see \textit{P. Roberts}, Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 78, 307-310 (1980; Zbl 0436.13011)]. For the example in question, \(S\) has mixed characteristic 2, yet \(S/2S\) is not integrally closed.