Betti numbers and degree bounds for some linked zero-schemes (Q886232)

Let \(I\) be a homogeneous ideal in a polynomial ring \(R\). Suppose that \(I\) is perfect, i.e. that \(R/I\) is C.M., and let \[ 0 \rightarrow \bigoplus _{j\in J_p}R(-d_{p,j}) \rightarrow N\dots \rightarrow \bigoplus _{j\in J_1}R(-d_{1,j}) \rightarrow I \rightarrow 0 \] be a minimal free resolution of \(I\). There is a conjecture, due to \textit{J. Herzog} and \textit{H. Srinivasan} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 350, No.~7, 2879--2902 (1998; Zbl 0899.13026)] which relates the graded Betti numbers \(d_{i,j}\) of \(I\) with \(\deg I\); namely the conjecture states that, if \(m_i = \min \{d_{i,j}| j\in J_i\}\) and \(M_i = \max \{d_{i,j}| j\in J_i\}\), then \( {\prod _{i=1}^p m_i\over p!} \leq \deg I \leq {\prod _{i=1}^p M_i\over p!}\). The result was known to be true when all \(d_{i,j}\) are equal for a fixed value of \(i\), i.e. when \(m_i = M_i\), \(i=1,\dots,p\) [\textit{C. Huneke} and \textit{M. Miller}, Can. J. Math. 37, 1149--1162 (1985; Zbl 0579.13012)]. In this paper the authors use the fact that since \(I\) is the ideal of a C.M. scheme, the graded Betti numbers (and the degree) remain the same when we cut with a generic hyperplane section, so we can always reduce to the case when \(I\) is a 0-dimensional scheme \(Y\). The conjecture is proved in the case that \(Y\) is linked via a complete intersection scheme \(X\) to a scheme \(Z\) (i.e. \(I_Y=I_X:I_Z\)), when \(Z\) is collinear ( = contained in a line) or is made of three general points. The main tool to get this outcome are Peskine's and Szpiro's results which relate the minimal freee resolutions of two linked ideals.