3-standardness of the maximal ideal (Q640929)

Let \((R, m)\) be a Cohen-Macaulay local ring of dimension \(d\) with infinite residue field \(k\) and \(I\) an \(m\)-primary ideal. If \(J\) is a minimal reduction of \(I\), the ideal \(I\) is said to be \(n\)-standard with respect to \(J\) if \(J\cap I^k=JI^{k-1}\) for all \(k \leq n\). If \(I\) is \(n\)-standard with respect to every minimal reduction \(J\) of \(I\), then \(I\) is said to be \(n\)-standard. It is a well known result that the maximal ideal \(m\) is 2-standard. In this paper the authors study conditions under which \(m\) is 3-standard, i.e., \(J \cap m^3=Jm^2\) for every minimal reduction \(J\) of \(m\). More exactly, it is proved that \(m\) is \(3\)-standard if \(\text{char} k=p > 0\) and the associated graded ring \(\mathrm{gr}_I(R)\) is reduced and connected in codimension one. By using the method of reduction to prime characteristic, the same result is obtained when \(R\) is of equicharacteristic zero and \(\mathrm{gr}_I(R)\) is an absolute domain. The authors also extend a result of \textit{T. J. Puthenpurakal} [Commun. Algebra 33, No. 6, 2039--2042 (2005; Zbl 1093.13021)] in several directions. First, it is proved that the length \(\lambda(I^3/JI^2)\) is independent of the minimal reduction \(J\) of an integrally closed \(m\)-primary ideal \(I\). Second, under the additional assumptions mentioned above that imply the \(3\)-standardness of the maximal ideal \(m\), it is shown that the length \(\lambda(m^4/Jm^3)\) is independent of the minimal reduction \(J\) of \(m\).