Hilbert functions of filtered modules (Q988544)

The study of Hilbert functions started from the work of D.G. Northcott and J. Sally. This theory plays a major role in Algebraic Geometry and Commutative Algebra, and is becoming increasingly important also in Computational Algebra. Hilbert functions capture many useful numerical characters associated to a projective variety or to a filtered module over a local ring. The authors state that the purpose of this lecture note volume is ``to gather together in one place many new developments of this theory by using a unifying approach which gives self-contained and easier proofs.'' Chapter 1. The authors introduce and discuss the notion of a good \(q\)-filtration of a module over a local ring. The corresponding associated graded module is defined, and a criterion for detecting regular sequences on this module is presented. Next they define the notions of Hilbert function and polynomial of a filtration and describe the relationship with superficial elements. Finally, a natural upper bound for the Hilbert function of a filtration in terms of a maximal superficial sequence is given. Chapter 2. The authors give several upper bounds for the first two Hilbert coefficients of the Hilbert polynomial of a filtration; it turns out that modules which are extremal with respect to these bounds have good associated graded modules and fully determined Hilbert functions. In particular, a notable generalization of Northcott's classical bound is presented as well as several results for modules which do not require Cohen--Macaulayness. Chapter 3. This chapter deals with the third Hilbert coefficient; some upper and lower bounds are discussed. The Ratliff--Rush filtration associated to a \(q\)-adic filtration is introduced and some applications to the study of border cases are shown. Chapter 4. A proof of Sally's conjecture in a very general context is given, thus greatly extending the classical case. Several applications to the first Hilbert coefficients are discussed. The main result of this chapter is a bound on the reduction number of a filtration. Chapters 5--6. The authors explore the depth and the Hilbert coefficients of the Fiber cone and the Sally module respectively. In spite of the fact that the Fiber cone and the Sally module are not graded modules associated to a filtration, the aim of this section is to show how one can deduce their properties as a consequence of the theory on filtration. This is an interesting and well written lecture note volume.