Face rings of simplicial complexes with singularities (Q652243)

Let \(\mathbf{k}\) be an infinite field, \(\Delta\) a simplicial complex of dimension \(r\) with vertex set \(\{1, 2, \dots, n\}\) and \(S=\mathbf{k}[x_1, x_2, \dots, x_n]\) the polynomial ring with \(n\) variables. We consider the Stanley-Reisner ring (the face ring) \(\mathbf{k}[\Delta]\) as the quotient ring of \(S\) by the Stanley-Reisner ideal \(I_\Delta\). It is known that \(\mathbf{k}[\Delta]\) is Cohen-Macaulay if and only if \(\tilde H^i(\text{link} F;\mathbf{k})=0\) for any \(i<\dim(\text{link} F)\) and \(F\in\Delta\), where \(\tilde H^\bullet(-;-)\) denotes the reduced cohomology. And \(\mathbf{k}[\Delta]\) is Buchsbaum if and only if \(\Delta\) is pure and \(\tilde H^i(\text{link} F;\mathbf{k})=0\) for any \(i<\dim(\text{link} F)\) and \(F\in\Delta\setminus\{\emptyset\}\). Recall that a Stanley-Reisner ring is Buchsbaum if and only if it is a ring with finite local cohomology. Also note that if \(\tilde H^i(\text{link} F;\mathbf{k})=0\) for any \(i<r-|F|\) and \(F\in\Delta\setminus\{\emptyset\}\), then \(\Delta\) is pure, where \(|F|\) denotes the cardinality of \(F\). Therefore, \(\mathbf{k}[\Delta]\) is a ring with finite local cohomology if and only if \(\tilde H^i(\text{link} F;\mathbf{k})=0\) for any \(i<r-|F|\) and \(F\in \Delta\) with \(|F|>0\). In this excellent paper, the authors generalize the above result and show the following Theorem: Let \(m\) be an integer with \(0\leq m\leq r\) and \(\theta_1, \dots, \theta_m\) generic linear forms of \(S\). Then \(\mathbf{k}[\Delta]/(\theta_1,\dots, \theta_m)\) is a ring with finite local cohomology if and only if \(\tilde H^i(\text{link} F;\mathbf{k})=0\) for any \(i<r-|F|\) and \(F\in \Delta\) with \(|F|>m\). The authors prove this result in two ways, first by careful enumeration of the dimensions of graded pieces of local cohomology, next by analysis of Ext modules. The enumerative result is generalized to squarefree modules introduced by Yanagawa. The paper also contains some results on simplicial complexes with isolated singularities: \(\Delta\) is said to have isolated singularities if \(\tilde H^i(\text{link} F;\mathbf{k})=0\) for any \(i<r-|F|\) and \(F\in \Delta\) with \(|F|>1\).