No label defined (Q4511488)

If \((S,s)\) is a germ of complex analytic surface, \(s\) is a rational singular point of \(S\) if \(R^1\pi_*=0\), where \(\pi:X\to S\) is a resolution of singularities. In this article, the author reviews a number of facts about rational singularities of surfaces, gives a more geometric proof of a result about certain interesting cycles and announces a generalization thereof. More precisely, the paper discusses, among other topics, the notion of fundamental cycle, the fact that rational singularities are absolutely isolated, Tjurina components of the exceptional divisor \(E\) of a resolution \(\pi:X\to S\), etc. The Tjurina components are the maximal connected unions of those irreducible components \(E_j\) of \(E\) such that \((Z.E_j)=0\), where \(Z\) is the the fundamental cycle. If \(E'\) is an irreducible component of the exceptional divisor \(E\) of a resolution \(\pi\) as above, among effective cycles \(C\) supported by \(E\) with the properties that \((C.E_i)=0\) (for each irreducible component \(E_i\) of \(E)\) and \(C\geq E'\), there is a unique minimal one, denoted by \(\overline Z(E')\). The author gives a new proof of a theorem describing \(\overline Z(E')\) in case \((Z.E')=0\) (with \(Z\) the fundamental cycle), in terms of the Tjurina component containing \(E'\) (a result due to H. Pinkham). It is announced a similar result in case \((Z.E')<0\). Unfortunately, in this announcement (added in proof) there seems to be number of misprints that make it somewhat hard to understand.