Resolutions of fat points ideals involving eight general point of \(\mathbb{P}^2\) (Q5952415)

Let \(P_1,\dots, P_8\in\mathbb{P}^2\) be eight general points and \(Z= m_1P_1+\cdots+ m_8 P_8\) a scheme of fat points, i.e. the scheme defined by \(I_Z= (I_{P_1})^{m_1}\cap\cdots\cap (I_{P_8})^{m_8}\). By a result by \textit{M. Nagata} [Mem. Coll. Sci., Univ. Kyoto, Ser. A 33, 271--293 (1960; Zbl 0100.16801)], the Hilbert function of \(Z\) is known. In this paper, the authors describe an algorithm for computing the graded Betti numbers of \(Z\). Instead of working with \(I_Z\), they translate the problem into questions about divisors on the rational surface \(X\) obtained by blowing up \(\mathbb{P}^2\) in \(\{P_1,\dots, P_8\}\). Thus the main theorem provides several formulae for the dimensions of the kernels and the cokernels of the multiplication by linear forms on the vector spaces of global sections of monotone divisors on a ``good'' surface. The proof of this theorem relies on a careful study of the geometry and the structure of the divisor class group of such a surface. The paper is written in a concise and clear manner. Unfortunately, the method employed by the authors does not appear to admit an easy extension to the case of \(\geq 9\) points in \(\mathbb{P}^2\), since the rational surfaces obtained by blowing up those points are not del Pezzo surfaces anymore.