The rationality of the Hilbert-Kunz multiplicity in graded dimension two (Q816958)

If \((R, m)\) is a local noetherian ring of dimension \(d\) containing a field \(K\) of characteristic \(p > 0\), then for every \(m\)-primary ideal \(I\) and every positive integer \(e\) it is defined the ideal \(I q\) generated by the powers \(fq\) of its generators, \(q\) being \(pe\). The length \(\lambda(R/Iq)\) is the Hilbert-Kunz function of the ideal and the limit, when \(e\) tends to infinity, of \(\lambda(R/I q/ped)\) is the Hilbert-Kunz multiplicity. The conjecture that such a multiplicity is a rational number dates back to a paper by \textit{P. Monsky} [Math. Ann. 263, 43--49 (1983; Zbl 0509.13023), ibid., 509--514 (1983; Zbl 0514.12008)], where it is proved that it is a positive real number. There are in the literature many papers dealing with this conjecture and finding partial results [see for instance \textit{C. Han} and \textit{P. Monsky}, Math. Z. 214, 119--135 (1993; Zbl 0788.13008), \textit{A. Conca}, Manuscr. Math. 90, 287--300 (1996; Zbl 0882.13019), \textit{R.-O. Buchweitz} and \textit{Q. Chen}, J. Algebra 197, 246--267 (1997; Zbl 0898.13009), \textit{N. Fakhruddin} and \textit{V. Trivedi}, J. Pure Appl. Algebra 181, 23--52 (2003; Zbl 1090.14503), or \textit{T. Watanabe}, Proc. Inst. Natural Sci. Nihon Univ. 35, 81--91 (2000; Zbl 0991.81123), ibid., 173--177 (2000; Zbl 1056.13502)]. The paper gives a new contribution, proving that the Hilbert-Kunz multiplicity is rational when \(R\) is a two-dimensional standard-graded normal domain and \(I\) is a homogeneous \(R_+\)-primary ideal. The paper actually gives an explicit formula for the multiplicity.