Ideals of general forms and the ubiquity of the Weak Lefschetz property

Let $d_1,...,d_r$ be positive integers and let $I = (F_1,...,F_r)$ be an ideal generated by general forms of degrees $d_1,...,d_r$, respectively, in a polynomial ring $R$ with $n$ variables. When all the degrees are the same we give a result that says, roughly, that they have as few first syzygies as possible. In the general case, the Hilbert function of $R/I$ has been conjectured by Fr\"oberg. In a previous work the authors showed that in many situations the minimal free resolution of $R/I$ must have redundant terms which are not forced by Koszul (first or higher) syzygies among the $F_i$ (and hence could not be predicted from the Hilbert function), but the only examples came when $r=n+1$. Our second main set of results in this paper show that further examples can be obtained when $n+1 \leq r \leq 2n-2$. We also show that if Fr\"oberg's conjecture on the Hilbert function is true then any such redundant terms in the minimal free resolution must occur in the top two possible degrees of the free module. Related to the Fr\"oberg conjecture is the notion of Weak Lefschetz property. We continue the description of the ubiquity of this property. We show that any ideal of general forms in $k[x_1,x_2,x_3,x_4]$ has it. Then we show that for certain choices of degrees, any complete intersection has it and any almost complete intersection has it. Finally, we show that most of the time Artinian ``hypersurface sections'' of zeroschemes have it.Comment: 24 page

The Weak and Strong Lefschetz Properties for Artinian K-Algebras

Let A = bigoplus_{i >= 0} A_i be a standard graded Artinian K-algebra, where char K = 0. Then A has the Weak Lefschetz property if there is an element ell of degree 1 such that the multiplication times ell : A_i --> A_{i+1} has maximal rank, for every i, and A has the Strong Lefschetz property if times ell^d : A_i --> A_{i+d} has maximal rank for every i and d. The main results obtained in this paper are the following. 1) EVERY height three complete intersection has the Weak Lefschetz property. (Our method, surprisingly, uses rank two vector bundles on P^2 and the Grauert-Mulich theorem.) 2) We give a complete characterization (including a concrete construction) of the Hilbert functions that can occur for K-algebras with the Weak or Strong Lefschetz property (and the characterization is the same one). 3) We give a sharp bound on the graded Betti numbers (achieved by our construction) of Artinian K-algebras with the Weak or Strong Lefschetz property and fixed Hilbert function. This bound is again the same for both properties. Some Hilbert functions in fact FORCE the algebra to have the maximal Betti numbers. 4) EVERY Artinian ideal in K[x,y] possesses the Strong Lefschetz property. This is false in higher codimension.Comment: To appear in J. Algebr

On the shape of a pure O-sequence

An order ideal is a finite poset X of (monic) monomials such that, whenever M is in X and N divides M, then N is in X. If all, say t, maximal monomials of X have the same degree, then X is pure (of type t). A pure O-sequence is the vector, h=(1,h_1,...,h_e), counting the monomials of X in each degree. Equivalently, in the language of commutative algebra, pure O-sequences are the h-vectors of monomial Artinian level algebras. Pure O-sequences had their origin in one of Richard Stanley's early works in this area, and have since played a significant role in at least three disciplines: the study of simplicial complexes and their f-vectors, level algebras, and matroids. This monograph is intended to be the first systematic study of the theory of pure O-sequences. Our work, making an extensive use of algebraic and combinatorial techniques, includes: (i) A characterization of the first half of a pure O-sequence, which gives the exact converse to an algebraic g-theorem of Hausel; (ii) A study of (the failing of) the unimodality property; (iii) The problem of enumerating pure O-sequences, including a proof that almost all O-sequences are pure, and the asymptotic enumeration of socle degree 3 pure O-sequences of type t; (iv) The Interval Conjecture for Pure O-sequences (ICP), which represents perhaps the strongest possible structural result short of an (impossible?) characterization; (v) A pithy connection of the ICP with Stanley's matroid h-vector conjecture; (vi) A specific study of pure O-sequences of type 2, including a proof of the Weak Lefschetz Property in codimension 3 in characteristic zero. As a corollary, pure O-sequences of codimension 3 and type 2 are unimodal (over any field); (vii) An analysis of the extent to which the Weak and Strong Lefschetz Properties can fail for monomial algebras; (viii) Some observations about pure f-vectors, an important special case of pure O-sequences.Comment: iii + 77 pages monograph, to appear as an AMS Memoir. Several, mostly minor revisions with respect to last year's versio