Seshadri stratifications and standard monomial theory (Q6095142)

The authors introduce the notion of a Seshadri stratification on an embedded projective variety, enabling them to construct a Newton-Okounkov simplicial complex and a flat degeneration of the projective variety into a union of toric varieties. This article develops a theory parallel to that of Newton-Okounkov bodies, built on a web rather than a flag of subvarieties. The other ingredient making the authors' approach different from that in Newton-Okounkov theory is a finite collection of functions with a prescribed set-theoretical vanishing behavior, leading to the notion of a Seshadri stratification. Compared to the Newton-Okounkov theory, instead of a valuation, the authors describe a quasi-valuation, but with values in the positive orthant; instead of a single monoid, they obtain a fan of monoids, but the monoids in this fan are always finitely generated. Furthermore, instead of a body in an Euclidean space, one gets a simplicial complex with a rational structure. That is, they show that the Seshadri stratification provides a geometric setup for a standard monomial theory. In this framework, Lakshmibai-Seshadri paths for Schubert varieties get a geometric interpretation as successive vanishing orders of regular functions.