Quasi-complete intersection homomorphisms (Q489943)

Ideals generated by regular sequences can be characterized by the vanishing of André-Quillen homology modules in dimension \(\geq 2\). The study of ideals with André-Quillen homology modules vanishing in dimension \(\geq 3\), called quasi-complete intersection ideals in the paper under review, was initiated by \textit{A. G. Rodicio} [Comment. Math. Helv. 70, No. 4, 546--557 (1995; Zbl 0849.13007)] characterizing them in terms of their Koszul homology, and continued in the following years by A. Blanco, Rodicio and the reviewer. However some questions remained open at that time. Among them: 1. In [\textit{A. García R.} and \textit{J. J. M. Soto}, Glasg. Math. J. 46, No. 1, 205--210 (2004; Zbl 1068.13015)] it is proved that the Gorenstein property descends and ascends and Cohen-Macaulay property descends along quasi-complete intersection ideals, but the ascent of Cohen-Macaulay property was not solved. In the paper under review new proofs of these results are obtained. Moreover, the authors prove a result implying that Cohen-Macaulay property also ascends when the ideal is principal or homogeneous (Theorem 4.1). 2. Rodicio asked if an analogue to Ferrand-Vasconcelos theorem holds for quasi-complete intersection ideals. More precisely, whether an ideal is quasi-complete intersection if and only if it is of finite complete intersection dimension and its first Koszul homology module is free. While the ``if '' part is true (see \textit{J. J. M. Soto} [J. Pure Appl. Algebra 146, No. 2, 197--207 (2000; Zbl 0963.13011)]), in the paper under review an example is given showing that the ``only if'' part does not hold (Theorem 3.5). 3. In [\textit{J. J. M. Soto}, Glasg. Math. J. 42, No. 1, 51--54 (2000; Zbl 0954.13013)] quasi-complete intersection principal ideals \((a)\) of a local ring \(A\) were characterized as those such that there exists \(b\) such that \((0:a)=b, (0:b)=a\). Clearly ideals generated by sequences \((a_1,\dots, a_n)\) such that \((a_i)\) is quasi-complete intersection in \(A/(a_1,\dots, a_{i-1})\) are quasi-complete intersection. The reciprocal, though improbable (note that the maximal ideal of a local ring is quasi-complete intersection if and only if the ring is complete intersection), was contemplated by some authors since it would give an intrinsic characterization of quasi-complete intersection ideals. In the paper under review (Remark 3.8) a preprint by \textit{A. Kustin}, \textit{L. Sega} and \textit{A. Vraciu} [``Minimal quasi-complete intersection ideals, \url{arXiv:1309.1186}] is cited where a counterexample can be found.