Postulation number of good filtrations (Q4344693)

Let \((A,m)\) be a noetherian local ring, and \(I\) an \(m\)-primary ideal of \(A\). One considers the Hilbert function \(H_I(n): =\text{length} (A/I^n)\), as well as the Hilbert polynomial \(P_I(n)\) attached to \(H_I(n)\), i.e. \(H_I(n)= P_I(n)\) for \(n\gg 0\). The author aims to find upper bounds for the postulation number \(n(I)\) defined as \(n(I):= \max\{n\in\mathbb{Z} \mid P_I(n)\neq H_I(n)\}\). One of the unpleasant phenomenon one might encounter in general is that it can happen for some \(n_0\in\mathbb{Z}\), \(H_I(n_0) =P_I(n_0)\), and, however, \(H_I(n_0+1)\neq P_I (n_0+1)\). Thus, the author is mainly interested to find conditions to bound \(n(I)\) in terms of such values \(n_0\) under the hypothesis that \(A\) is a Cohen-Macaulay ring.