No label defined (Q4385250)

Let \((A, \mathfrak m)\) denote a complete local \(\mathbb Z/(p)\)-algebra, where \(p\) denotes a prime number. Let \(e_n(A)= \text{length} (A/\mathfrak m_n),\) where \(\mathfrak m_n\) is the ideal of \(A\) generated by all \(a^q\), \(q= p^n,\) with \(a \in \mathfrak m,\) denote the (local) Hilbert-Kunz function. It was shown by \textit{P. Monsky} in Math. Ann. 263, 43-49 (1983; Zbl 0509.13023) that \(e_n(A) = cp^{dn} + \Delta_n,\) where \(d = \dim A\) and \(\Delta_n = O(p^{n(d-1)}).\) In the case of \(A = \mathbb Z/(p)[[X_1, \ldots, X_s]]/ \sum_{i=1}^s X_i^{d_i}\) it was shown by by \textit{C. Han} and \textit{P. Monsky} in Math. Z. 214, No. 1, 119-135 (1993; Zbl 0788.13008) that \(c\) is rational and \(\Delta_n\) is eventually periodic. In the article under review the authors deduce some multiplication formulae for the representation ring, which imply a new proof of the Han-Monsky result (loc. cit.) as well as an explicit algorithm in order to compute \(c\) and to derive more precise information about the Hilbert-Kunz function. Moreover they compute the Hilbert-Kunz function of some binomial hypersurface, extending \textit{A. Conca}'s result in Manuscr. Math. 90, No. 3, 287-300 (1996; Zbl 0882.13019) to the non-homogeneous case. For generalization of these results, see the authors' paper: ``On Hilbert-Kunz functions of some hypersurfaces'', J. Algebra 199, No. 2, 499-527 (1998; Zbl 0898.13011).