On the structure of simplicial affine semigroups (Q4526690)

A structure theorem for simplicial affine semigroups is given. This theorem states that a simplicial affine semigroup is, up to isomorphism, a finite disjoint union of ideals in \(\mathbb{N}^r\) satisfying certain conditions. Note that \(r\) is the number of extremal rays of the semigroup. The cases of Cohen-Macaulay, Gorenstein and normal semigroups are characterized by using the above theorem. Finally, an upper bound for a minimal generating set of the defining ideal of the semigroup ring \(K[S]\), associated to the semigroup \(S\), is given in terms of the number of elements belonging to the intersection of the Apéry sets of the extremal rays of \(S\).