The Zariski-Lipman conjecture for complete intersections (Q657980)

Let \(V\) be a variety over a field \(k,\) let \(\Omega^1_{V/k}\) and \(\text{Der}(V/k) = \Hom{{\mathcal O}_V}(\Omega^1_{V/k}, {\mathcal O}_V)\) be modules of Kähler differentials and regular vector fields on \(V,\) respectively. In other terms, these modules are zero-th cotangent homology and cohomology of \(V/k,\) denoted by \(T_0(V/k)\) and \(T^0(V/k),\) respectively. Let us now suppose that \(\text{char}(k) = 0.\) The famous Berger's conjecture (1963) states that for 1-dimensional singularities the condition ``\(\text{Tors}\;\Omega^1_{V/k} = 0\)'' is equivalent to smoothness of \(V\). On the other hand, if the singularity \(V\) has no embedded components then \(\text{Der}(V/k)\) has no torsion; and Zariski-Lipman's conjecture (1965) states that for singularities of any dimension the condition ``\(\text{Der}(V/k)\) is a (locally) free \({\mathcal O}_V\)-module'' implies smoothness of \(V.\) The both conjectures are verified in many particular cases however in general they remain still open. The author proves the second conjecture in the case when \(V\) is an affine variety given by a regular sequence of polynomials. His approach is based on a detail analysis of relations between the locus of non-smooth points of a morphism \(\pi: X\rightarrow Y\) of noetherian schemes which is locally finite type and the branch loci \(B_\pi=B_{X/Y}\) and \(B_\pi^t\) associated with the relative zero-th tangent homology and cohomology, \(T_0(X/Y)\) and \(T^0(X/Y),\) respectively. Thus, for curves the condition \(B_{V/k}^t = 0\) implies smoothness; it is a result by \textit{J. Lipman} [Am. J. Math. 87, 874--898 (1965; Zbl 0146.17301)]. If \(V/k\) is a fibre of a flat generically smooth morphism of varieties over a field of positive characteristic, the author proves that codimension of \(B_{V/k}\) in \(X\) is at most 1. This can be considered as an analogue of results by \textit{D. van Straten} and \textit{J. Steenbrink} [Abh. Math. Semin. Univ. Hamb. 55, 97--109 (1985; Zbl 0584.32018)] obtained for complex analytic varieties.