The generalized test ideals introduced in [HY] are related to multiplier ideals via reduction to characteristic p. In addition, they satisfy many of the subtle properties of the multiplier ideals, which in characteristic zero follow via vanishing theorems. In this note we give several examples to emphasize the different behavior of test ideals and multiplier ideals. Our main result is that every ideal in an F-finite regular local ring can be written as a generalized test ideal. We also prove the semicontinuity of $F$-pure thresholds (though the analogue of the Generic Restriction Theorem for multiplier ideals does not hold).
Let X be a smooth variety and J, K two ideal sheaves on X. We prove the following formula relating the multiplier ideals of J, K and J+K: I(X, c(J+K))\subset \sum_{a+b=c} I(X, aJ)\cdot I(X,bK). An analogous formula holds for the asymptotic multiplier ideals of two graded systems of ideals. As a consequence, we show how to approximate at any given point arbitrary multiplier ideals by multiplier ideals of zero dimensional ideals. We apply this to study the invariance of multiplier ideals under different embeddings.
A simple formula computing the multiplier ideal of a monomial ideal on an arbitrary affine toric variety is given. Variants for the multiplier module and test ideals are also treated.
In recent years, multiplier ideals have found many applications in local and global algebraic geometry. Because of their importance, there has been some interest in the question of which ideals on a smooth complex variety can be realized as multiplier ideals. Other than integral closure no local obstructions have been known up to now, and in dimension two it was established by Favre-Jonsson and Lipman-Watanabe that any integrally closed ideal is locally a multiplier ideal. We prove the somewhat unexpected result that multiplier ideals in fact satisfy some rather strong algebraic properties inv…
By using Mather-Jacobian multiplier ideals, we first prove a formula on comparing Grauert-Riemenschneider canonical sheaf with canonical sheaf of a variety over an algebraically closed field of characteristic zero. Then we turn to study Mather-Jacobian multiplier ideals on algebraic curve, in which case the definition of Mather-Jacobian multiplier ideal can be extended to a ground field of any characteristic. We show that Mather-Jacobian multiplier ideal on curves is essentially the same as an integrally closed ideal. Finally by comparing conductor ideal with Mather-Jacobian multiplier ideal, …
It is well known that the multiplier ideal $\multr{I}$ of an ideal $I$ determines in a straightforward way the multiplier ideal $\multr{f}$ of a sufficiently general element $f$ of $I$. We give an explicit condition on a polynomial $f \in \CC[x_1,...,x_n]$ which guarantees that it is a sufficiently general element of the most natural associated monomial ideal, the ideal generated by its terms. This allows us to directly calculate the multiplier ideal $\multr{f}$ (for all $r$) of ``most'' polynomials $f$.
We compute the multiplier ideals of hyperplane arrangements via the interpretation of these ideals in terms of spaces of arcs, due to Ein, Lazarsfeld and the author.
We describe a new software package for computing multiplier ideals in certain cases, including monomial ideals, monomial curves, generic determinantal ideals, and hyperplane arrangements. In these cases we take advantage of combinatorial formulas for multiplier ideals given by results of Howald, Thompson, and Johnson. The package uses Normaliz. It is available as a library for Macaulay2.
The aim of this paper is to study mixed multiplier ideals associated to a tuple of ideals in a two-dimensional local ring with a rational singularity. We are interested in the partition of the real positive orthant given by the regions where the mixed multiplier ideals are constant. In particular we reveal which information encoded in a mixed multiplier ideal determines its corresponding jumping wall and we provide an algorithm to compute all the constancy regions, and their corresponding mixed multiplier ideals, in any desired range.
Thompson (2014) exhibits a formula for the multiplier ideal with multiplier lambda of a monomial curve C with ideal I as an intersection of a term coming from the I-adic valuation, the multiplier ideal of the term ideal of I, and terms coming from certain specified auxiliary valuations. This short note shows it suffices to consider only one auxiliary valuation. This improvement is achieved through a more intrinsic approach, reduction to the toric case.
The aim of this paper is to study jumping numbers and multiplier ideals of any ideal in a two-dimensional local ring with a rational singularity. In particular we reveal which information encoded in a multiplier ideal determines the next jumping number. This leads to an algorithm to compute sequentially the jumping numbers and the whole chain of multiplier ideals in any desired range. As a consequence of our method we develop the notion of jumping divisor that allows to describe the jump between two consecutive multiplier ideals. In particular we find a unique minimal jumping divisor that is s…
Demailly, Ein and Lazarsfeld \cite{DEL} proved the subadditivity theorem for multiplier ideals, which states the multiplier ideal of the product of ideals is contained in the product of the individual multiplier ideals, on non-singular varieties. We prove that, in two-dimensional case, the subadditivity theorem holds on log-terminal singularities. However, in higher dimensional case, we have several counter-examples. We consider the subadditivity theorem for monomial ideals on toric rings, and construct a counter-example on a three-dimensional toric ring.
It was recently established by the first two authors that multiplier ideals on a smooth variety satisfy some special syzygetic properties. The purpose of this note is to show how some of these can be extended to the singular setting.
As a generalization of formulas given by Demailly-Ein-Lazarsfeld, Eisenstein and Takagi, we prove a subadditivity formula for multiplier ideals associated to log pairs.
We prove a generalization of Demailly-Ein-Lazarsfeld's subadditivity formula and Mustata's summation formula for multiplier ideals to the case of singular varieties, using characteristic $p$ methods. As an application of our formula, we improve Hochster-Huneke's result on the growth of symbolic powers of ideals in singular affine algebras.
We introduce the notion of strong test module and show that a large number of such modules appear in the tight closure theory of complete domains: the test ideal (this has already been known), the parameter test module, and the module of relative test elements. They also appear as certain multiplier ideals, a concept of interest in algebraic geometry.
The goal of this paper is to produce a formula for the multiplier ideals of monomial space curves in the spirit of Howald's formula for the multiplier ideals of monomial ideals. This is achieved by constructing a toric blowup of affine space in such a way that a log resolution of the monomial curve may be constructed from this toric variety in a well controlled manner.
We present an algebro-geometric perspective on some generalizations, due to S. Takagi, of the restriction theorem for multiplier ideals. The first version of the restriction theorem for multiplier ideals was discovered by Esnault and Viehweg. In a series of papers S. Takagi has discovered generalizations of the restriction theorem and some formulas for multiplier ideals that follow from the restriction theorem. He uses the technique of tight closure and reduction to positive characteristic. We are able to provide an algebro-geometric proof of generalizations of his restriction theorem and his …
We prove the rationality of the Poincaré series of multiplier ideals in any dimension and thus extending the main results for surfaces of Galindo and Monserrat and Alberich-Carramiñana et al. Our results also hold for Poincaré series of test ideals. In order to do so, we introduce a theory of Hilbert functions indexed over $\mathbb{R}$ which gives an unified treatment of both cases.
There has arisen in recent years a substantial theory of "multiplier ideals'' in commutative rings. These are integrally closed ideals with properties that lend themselves to highly interesting applications. But how special are they among integrally closed ideals in general? We show that in a two-dimensional regular local ring with algebraically closed residue field, there is in fact no difference between "multiplier" and "integrally closed" (or "complete.") However, among multiplier ideals arising from an integer multiplying constant (also known as adjoint ideals) the only simple complete one…
Hara and Smith independently proved that in a normal $\mQ$-Gorenstein ring of characteristic $p \gg 0$, the test ideal coincides with the multiplier ideal associated to the trivial divisor. We extend this result for a pair $(R, Δ)$ of a normal ring $R$ and an effective $\mQ$-Weil divisor $Δ$ on $\Spec R$. As a corollary, we obtain the equivalence of strongly F-regular pairs and klt pairs.
We consider the following conjecture: if X is a smooth projective variety over a field of characteristic zero, then there is a dense set of reductions X_s of X to positive characteristic such that the action of the Frobenius morphism on the top Zariski cohomology of the structure sheaf of X_s is bijective. We also consider a conjecture relating certain invariants of singularities in characteristic zero (the multiplier ideals) with invariants in positive characteristic (the test ideals). We prove that the former conjecture implies the latter one in the case of ambient nonsingular varieties.
We give algorithms for computing multiplier ideals using Gröbner bases in Weyl algebras. The algorithms are based on a newly introduced notion which is a variant of Budur--Mustaţǎ--Saito's (generalized) Bernstein--Sato polynomial. We present several examples computed by our algorithms.
We construct a 3-dimensional complete intersection toric variety on which the subadditivity formula doesn't hold, answering negatively a question by Takagi and Watanabe. A combinatorial proof of the subadditivity formula on 2-dimensional normal toric varieties is also provided.
Using perfectoid algebras, we introduce a mixed characteristic analog of the multiplier ideal, respectively test ideal, from characteristic zero, respectively $p > 0$, in the case of a regular ambient ring. We prove several properties about this ideal such as subadditivity. We then use these techniques to derive a uniform bound on the growth of symbolic powers of radical ideals in all excellent regular rings. The analogous result was shown in equal characteristic by Ein-Lazarsfeld-Smith and Hochster-Huneke.
We consider the following conjecture: if X is a smooth projective variety over a field of characteristic zero, then there is a dense set of reductions X_s to positive characteristic such that the action of the Frobenius morphism on the top Zariski cohomology of the structure sheaf on X_s is bijective. We also consider the conjecture relating the multiplier ideals of an ideal J on a nonsingular variety in characteristic zero, and the test ideals of the reductions of J to positive characteristic. We prove that the latter conjecture implies the former one. The converse was proved in a joint paper…
We introduce a new variant of tight closure associated to any fixed ideal $\a$, which we call $\a$-tight closure, and study various properties thereof. In our theory, the annihilator ideal $τ(\a)$ of all $\a$-tight closure relations, which is a generalization of the test ideal in the usual tight closure theory, plays a particularly important role. We prove the correspondence of the ideal $τ(\a)$ and the multiplier ideal associated to $\a$ (or, the adjoint of $\a$ in Lipman's sense) in normal $\Q$-Gorenstein rings reduced from characteristic zero to characteristic $p \gg 0$. Also, in fixed prim…
We study the multiplicity of the jumping numbers of an $\mathfrak m$-primary ideal $\mathfrak a$ in a two-dimensional local ring with a rational singularity. The formula we provide for the multiplicities leads to a very simple and efficient method to detect whether a given rational number is a jumping number. We also give an explicit description of the Poincaré series of multiplier ideals associated to $\mathfrak a$ proving, in particular, that it is a rational function.
The Bernstein-Sato polynomial (or global b-function) is an important invariant in singularity theory, which can be computed using symbolic methods in the theory of D-modules. After surveying algorithms for computing the global b-function, we develop a new method to compute the local b-function for a single polynomial. We then develop algorithms that compute generalized Bernstein-Sato polynomials of Budur-Mustata-Saito and Shibuta for an arbitrary polynomial ideal. These lead to computations of log canonical thresholds, jumping coefficients, and multiplier ideals. Our algorithm for multiplier i…
Multiplier ideals, and the vanishing theorems they satisfy, have found many applications in recent years. In the global setting they have been used to study pluricanonical and other linear series on a projective variety. More recently, they have led to the discovery of some surprising uniform results in local algebra. The present notes aim to provide a gentle introduction to the algebraically-oriented local side of the theory. They follow closely a short course on multiplier ideals given in September 2002 at the Introductory Workshop of the program in commutative algebra at MSRI.
Let (R,m) be an n-dimensional regular local ring, essentially of finite type over a field of characteristic zero. In this paper we study the relationship between the singularities of the scheme defined by an m-primary ideal I of R and the multiplier ideals J(I^c), with c varying among the positive rational numbers. In particular, we prove that, for every nonnegative integer k, the Samuel multiplicity of I is greater or equal to (n+k)^n/c^n whenever J(I^c) is contained in the (k+1)-th power of the maximal ideal m. This formula generalizes an inequality on log canonical thresholds previously obt…
This paper gives an explicit formula for the multiplier ideals, and consequently for the log canonical thresholds, of any GL(V)xGL(W)-invariant ideal in the symmetric algebra S of the tensor product of V with the dual of W, where V and W are vector spaces over a field of characteristic 0. This characterization is done in terms of a polytope constructed from the set of Young diagrams corresponding to the Schur modules generating the ideal. Our approach consists in computing the test ideals of some invariant ideals of S in positive characteristic: Namely, we will compute the test ideals (and so …
We revisit a bound on symbolic powers found by Ein-Lazarsfeld-Smith and subsequently improved by Takagi-Yoshida. We show that the original argument of Ein-Lazarsfeld-Smith actually gives the same improvement. On the other hand, we show by examples that any further improvement based on the same technique appears unlikely. This is primarily an exposition; only some examples and remarks might be new.
This paper investigates the existence and properties of a Bernstein-Sato functional equation in nonregular settings. In particular, we construct $D$-modules in which such formal equations can be studied. The existence of the Bernstein-Sato polynomial for a direct summand of a polynomial over a field is proved in this context. It is observed that this polynomial can have zero as a root, or even positive roots. Moreover, a theory of $V$-filtrations is introduced for nonregular rings, and the existence of these objects is established for what we call differentially extensible summands. This famil…
The goal of this note is to survey some recent results on the Grauert-Riemenschneider multiplier ideal sheaves on any (reduced) complex space of pure dimension. In particular, we obtain the Briançon-Skoda number for any Noetherian ring of weakly holomorphic functions with weakly rational singularities (\emph{not} essentially of finite type over $\mathbb{C}$ and Cohen-Macaulay local rings), which will partially answer a question of Huneke.
We study in this paper some local invariants attached via multiplier ideals to an effective divisor or ideal sheaf on a smooth complex variety. First considered (at least implicitly) by Libgober and by Loeser and Vaquie, these jumping coefficients consist of an increasing sequence of rational numbers beginning with the log canonical threshold of the divisor or ideal in question. They encode interesting geometric and algebraic information, and we show that they arise naturally in several different contexts. Given a polynomial f having only isolated singularities, results of Varchenko, Loeser an…
Fix nonzero ideal sheaves a_1,...,a_r on a normal Q-Gorenstein complex variety X. Fix any positive real number c, and consider the multiplier ideal J of the sum a_1+...+a_r with weighting coefficient c. We construct an exact sequence resolving J by sheaves over X that are direct sums of multiplier ideals for products a_1^{v_1}...a_r^{v_r} for various real vectors v such that v_1+...+v_r = c. The resolution is cellular, in the sense that its boundary maps are encoded by the algebraic chain complex of a regular CW-complex. The CW-complex is naturally expressed as a triangulation T of the simplex…
We study the relation type question, raised by C. Huneke, which asks whether for a complete equidimensional local ring R there exists a uniform bound for the relation type of parameter ideals. Wang gave a positive answer to this question when the non-Cohen-Macaulay locus of R, denoted by NCM(R), has dimension zero. We first present an example, due to the first author, which gives a negative answer to the question when dim NCM(R) is at least 2. The major part of our work then is to investigate the remaining case, i.e., when dim NCM(R) = 1. We introduce the notion of homology multipliers and sho…
This article extends the notion of a Frobenius power of an ideal in prime characteristic to allow arbitrary nonnegative real exponents. These generalized Frobenius powers are closely related to test ideals in prime characteristic, and multiplier ideals over fields of characteristic zero. For instance, like these well-known families of ideals, Frobenius powers also give rise to jumping exponents that we call critical Frobenius exponents. In fact, the Frobenius powers of a principal ideal coincides with its test ideals, but appear to be a more refined measure of singularities in general. Herein,…
Given an ideal $a \subseteq R$ in a (log) $Q$-Gorenstein $F$-finite ring of characteristic $p > 0$, we study and provide a new perspective on the test ideal $τ(R, a^t)$ for a real number $t > 0$. Generalizing a number of known results from the principal case, we show how to effectively compute the test ideal and also describe $τ(R, a^t)$ using (regular) alterations with a formula analogous to that of multiplier ideals in characteristic zero. We further prove that the $F$-jumping numbers of $τ(R, a^t)$ as $t$ varies are rational and have no limit points, including the important case where $R$ i…
We provide a formula to compute the big Cohen-Macaulay test ideal for triples $((R,Δ),\mathfrak{a}^{t})$ where $R$ is a mixed characteristic toric ring and $\mathfrak{a}$ is a monomial ideal. Of particular interest is that this result is consistent with the formulas for test ideals in positive characteristic and multiplier ideals in characteristic zero.
Hochster and Huneke proved in \cite{HH5} fine behaviors of symbolic powers of ideals in regular rings, using the theory of tight closure. In this paper, we use generalized test ideals, which are a characteristic $p$ analogue of multiplier ideals, to give a slight generalization of Hochster-Huneke's results.
Utilizing ultraproducts, Schoutens constructed a big Cohen-Macaulay algebra $\mathcal{B}(R)$ over a local domain $R$ essentially of finite type over $\mathbb{C}$. We show that if $R$ is normal and $Δ$ is an effective $\mathbb{Q}$-Weil divisor on $\operatorname{Spec} R$ such that $K_R+Δ$ is $\mathbb{Q}$-Cartier, then the BCM test ideal $τ_{\hat{\mathcal{B}(R)}}(\hat{R},\hatΔ)$ of $(\hat{R},\hatΔ)$ with respect to $\hat{\mathcal{B}(R)}$ coincides with the multiplier ideal $\mathcal{J}(\hat{R},\hatΔ)$ of $(\hat{R},\hatΔ)$, where $\hat{R}$ and $\hat{\mathcal{B}(R)}$ are the $\mathfrak{m}$-adic com…
We introduce the notion of Bernstein-Sato polynomial of an arbitrary variety (which is not necessarily reduced nor irreducible), using the theory of V-filtrations of M. Kashiwara and B. Malgrange. We prove that the decreasing filtration by multiplier ideals coincides essentially with the restriction of the V-filtration. This implies a relation between the roots of the Bernstein-Sato polynomial and the jumping coefficients of the multiplier ideals, and also a criterion for rational singularities in terms of the maximal root of the polynomial in the case of a reduced complete intersection. These…
Suppose that $X$ is a projective variety over an algebraically closed field of characteristic $p > 0$. Further suppose that $L$ is an ample (or more generally in some sense positive) divisor. We study a natural linear system in $|K_X + L|$. We further generalize this to incorporate a boundary divisor $Δ$. We show that these subsystems behave like the global sections associated to multiplier ideals, $H^0(X, \mJ(X, Δ) \tensor L)$ in characteristic zero. In particular, we show that these systems are in many cases base-point-free. While the original proof utilized Kawamata-Viehweg vanishing and va…
In recent years, a multiplier ideal defined on arbitrary varieties, so called Mather multiplier ideal, has been developed independently by Ein-Ishii-Mustata, and de Fernex-Docampo. With this new tool, we have a chance of extending some classical results proved in nonsingular case to arbitrary varieties to establish their general forms. In this paper, we first extend a result of geometric nullstellensatz due to Ein-Lazarsfeld in nonsingular case to any projective varieties. Then we prove a result on comparison of symbolic powers with ordinary powers on any varieties, which extends results of Ei…
