On the Yau cycle of a normal surface singularity (Q436038)

Let \(\pi :(X,E)\longrightarrow (V,o)\) be a resolution of a normal surface singularity. After M. Artin's work, \((V,o)\) has been researching through considering \((X,E)\). Ph. Wagreich considered three invariants \(p_g(V,o)\) (geometric genus), \(p_a(V,o)\) (arithmetic genus), \(p_f(V,o)\) (fundamental genus); also proved following fundamental properties. (i) \(p_f(V,o)\leqq p_f(V,o)\leqq p_f(V,o)\) (ii) \(p_f(V,o)=0\Longleftrightarrow p_f(V,o)=0\Longleftrightarrow p_f(V,o)=0\) (iii) \(p_f(V,o)=1\Longleftrightarrow p_f(V,o)=1\). If \((V,o)\) satisfies the conditions of (ii) (resp. (iii)), then it is called a rational (elliptic) singularity. For elliptic singularities, there are many deep researches due to H. Laufer, S. S. T. Yau and many others. However, from same point of view, we have a little for the case of \(p_f(V,o)\geqq 2\). The author tries to study this case. For elliptic singularities, \textit{S. S.-T. Yau} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 257, 269--329 (1980; Zbl 0343.32009)] gave the definition of elliptic sequences. By using it, he proved many important results. For example, he proved that if the length of the elliptic sequence equals to \(p_g(V,o)\), then \((V,o)\) is Gorenstein. Further, he proved that if \((V,o)\) is a numerical Gorenstein singularity, then \(K_V\) (canonical cycle) is written as the sum of the cycle in the elliptic sequence. In [Pac. J. Math. 170, No. 1, 271--295 (1995; Zbl 0848.14017)], the reviewer formally generalized elliptic sequences to the case of \(p_f(V,o)\geqq 1\) and call it Yau sequences. However, through several examples, he showed that we cannot expect obtaining simple and beautiful results same as elliptic case. The author defines the \textit{Yau cycle \(Y\)} as the sum of all cycles appearing in the Yau sequence. Under some conditions, he proves a relation between the canonical cycle \(K_V\) and the Yau cycle \(Y\) (3.2). Also, under some conditions, he gives an estimate of \(p_g(V,o)\) by \(p_f(V,o)\) and the length \(m\) of the Yau sequence (Theorem 3.9: \(p_g(V,o)\leqq p_f(V,o)^2m\) ). The problem to estimate \(p_g(V,o)\) is very important and essential. Then this result seems to be very fundamental. Moreover, for Gorenstein singularities with \(p_f(V,o)=2\), he proves several meaningful results on the multiplicity and embedding dimension of \((V,o)\).