On the castelnuovo-mumford regularity of a projective system (Q4351706)

A projective \([n,k+1]_q\)-system is a set \(X\) of \(n\) points in a projective space over \({\mathbb{F}}_q\) that span a linear subspace of dimension \(k\). The terminology is due to \textit{M. A. Tsfasman} and \textit{S. G. Vlăduţ} [``Algebraic-geometric codes'' (1991; Zbl 0727.94007)] and gives a more invariant way of considering \(q\)-ary linear codes of length \(n\) and dimension \(k\). The authors consider the Hilbert function \(H_X\) of the homogeneous coordinate ring of this set of points, and the first difference function \(\Delta H_X\), which is also called the Castelnuovo function. While the description of the possible Hilbert functions of finite subsets of projective space over an algebraically closed field is known [cf. \textit{A. V. Geramita, P. Maroscia}, and \textit{L. G. Roberts}, J. Lond. Math. Soc., II. Ser. 28, 443-452 (1983; Zbl 0535.13012)], this paper gives a first step toward such a description when the field is finite. The Castelnuovo-Mumford regularity \(r_X\) is the maximum integer \(\nu\) such that \(\Delta H_X(\nu)\neq 0\). The authors define \(s(n,k,q)\) to be the supremum of the \(r_X\)'s as \(X\) runs through all projective \([n,k+1]_q\)-systems and they define \(s(n,q)\) to be the supremum of the \(s(n,k,q)\)'s for \(1\leq k<n\). Geometrically, \(s(n,q)\) is the least number \(s\) such that for every set of \({\mathbb{F}}_q\)-rational points \(\{P_1,P_2,\dots,P_n\}\) in some projective space over \({\mathbb{F}}_q\), there exists a hypersurface of degree \(s\) containing \(P_1,\dots,P_{n-1}\), but not \(P_n\). The authors give a lower bound for \(s(n,q)\), which gives the exact value when \(q=2\). They also determine a number of other values and estimates for \(s(n,k,q)\) and \(s(n,q)\), and conjecture how \(s(n,q)\) grows asymptotically with \(n\). Applications to coding theory, commutative algebra, and boolean algebra are discussed.