arXiv subjects

David Eisenbud

Publications and source records attributed to David Eisenbud.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2006

Relative Beilinson Monad and Direct Image for Families of Coherent Sheaves

The higher direct image complex of a coherent sheaf (or finite complex of coherent sheaves) under a projective morphism is a fundamental construction that can be defined via a Cech complex or an injective resolution, both inherently infinite constructions. Using exterior algebras and relative versions of theorems of Beilinson and Bernstein-Gel'fand-Gel'fand, we give an alternate description in finite terms. Using this description we can characterize the generic complex, over the variety of finite free complexes of a given shape, as the direct image of an easily-described vector bundle. We can also give explicit descriptions of the loci in the base spaces of flat families of sheaves in which some cohomological conditions are satisfied--for example, the loci where vector bundles on projective space split in a certain way, or the loci where a projective morphism has higher dimensional fibers. Our approach is so explicit that it yields an algorithm suited for computer algebra systems. This new version uses relative projectives to give smaller direct image complexes in many cases. It also includes many small clarifications.

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arXiv2004

Small schemes and varieties of minimal degree

We prove that if X is any 2-regular projective scheme (in the sense of Castelnuovo-Mumford) then X is "small". This means that if L is a linear space and Y:= L\cap X is finite, then Y is "linearly independent" in the sense that the dimension of the linear span of Y is 1+deg Y. The converse is true and well-known for finite schemes, but false in general. The main result of this paper is that the converse, "small implies 2-regular", is also true for reduced projective schemes (algebraic sets). This is proven by means of a delicate geometric analysis, leading to a complete classification: we show that the components of a small algebraic set are varieties of minimal degree, meeting in a particularly simple way. From the classification one can show that if X is 2-regular, then so is X_{red}, and so also is the projection of X from any point of X. Our results extend the Del Pezzo-Bertini classification of varieties of minimal degree, the characterization of these as the varieties of regularity 2 by Eisenbud-Goto, and the construction of 2-regular square-free monomial ideals by Fröberg.

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arXiv2004

The Regularity of Tor and Graded Betti Numbers

Let S=K[x_1,..., x_n], let A,B be finitely generated graded S-modules, and let m=(x_1,...,x_n). We give bounds for the Castelnuovo-Mumford regularity of the local cohomology of Tor_i(A,B) under the assumption that the Krull dimension of Tor_1(A,B) is at most 1. We apply the results to syzygies, Groebner bases, products and powers of ideals, and to the relationship of the Rees and Symmetric algebras. For example we show that any homogeneous linearly presented m-primary ideal has some power equal to a power of m; and if the first (roughly) (n-1)/2 steps of the resolution of I are linear, then I^2 is a power of m.

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arXiv2004

Restricting linear syzygies: algebra and geometry

In this paper we derive geometric consequences from the presence of a long strand of linear syzygies in the minimal free resolution of a closed scheme in projective space whose homogeneous ideal is generated by quadrics. These consequences are given in terms of intersections with arbitrary linear subspaces. We use our results to bound homological invariants of some well-known projective varieties, to give a combinatorial characterization of quadratic monomial ideals with a long strand of linear syzygies, etc

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arXiv2003

A note on the Intersection of Veronese Surfaces

Motivated by our study (elsewhere) of linear syzygies of homogeneous ideals generated by quadrics and their restrictions to subvarieties of the ambient projective space, we investigate in this note possible zero-dimensional intersections of two Veronese surfaces in P^5. The case of two Veronese surfaces in P^5 meeting in 10 simple points appears also in work of Coble, Conner and Reye in relation to the 10 nodes of a quartic symmetroid in P^3, and we provide here a modern account for some of their results.

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arXiv2002

Heights of Ideals of Minors

The classical "generalized principal ideal theorems" of Macaulay, Eagon-Northcott, and others give sharp bounds on the heights of determinantal ideals in arbitrary rings. But in regular local rings (or graded polynomial rings) these are far from sharp, and various questions about vector bundles, as well as other questions in commutative algebra, amount to asking what the real bounds are. We give partial answers, and more generally we prove new height bounds in local rings of given embedding codimension. Our theorems extend and sharpen results of Faltings and Bruns.

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arXiv2002

A Simple Proof of some Generalized Principal Ideal Theorems

Using symmetric algebras we simplify (and slightly strengthen) the Bruns-Eisenbud-Evans "generalized principal ideal theorem" on the height of order ideals of non-minimal generators in a module. We also obtain a simple proof and an extension of a result by Kwieciński, which estimates the height of certain Fitting ideals of modules having an equidimensional symmetric algebra.

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arXiv2002

What is the Rees Algebra of a Module?

In this paper we show that the Rees algebra can be made into a functor on modules over a ring in a way that extends its classical definition for ideals. The Rees algebra of a module M may be computed in terms of a "maximal" map f from M to a free module. It is the image of the map induced by f on symmetric algebras. We show that the analytic spread and reductions of M can be determined from any embedding of M into a free module, and in characteristic 0--but not in positive characteristic!--the Rees algebra itself can be computed from any such embedding.

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arXiv2002

Order Ideals and a Generalized Krull Height Theorem

Let N be a finitely generated module over a Noetherian local ring (R,m). We give criteria for the height of the order ideal N^*(x) of an element x \in N to be bounded by the rank of N. The Generalized Principal Ideal Theorem of Bruns, Eisenbud and Evans says that this inequality always holds if x \in mN, but if x is a minimal generator the question is more subtle; for example, when R is graded and N represents a vector bundle on Proj R, the question is connected with the vanishing of the top chern class. We show that the inequality does hold if the hypothesis x \in mN becomes true after first extending scalars to some local domain and then factoring out torsion. We also give conditions under which it holds in terms of residual intersections and integral closures of modules. We derive information about order ideals that leads to bounds on the heights of trace ideals of modules--even in circumstances where we do not have the expected bounds for the heights of the order ideals.

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arXiv2002

A Fitting Lemma for Z/2-graded modules

We study the annihilator of the cokernel of a map of free Z/2-graded modules over a Z/2-graded skew-commutative algebra in characteristic 0 and define analogues of its Fitting ideals. We show that in the ``generic'' case the annihilator is given by a Fitting ideal, and explain relations between the Fitting ideal and the annihilator that hold in general. Our results generalize the classical Fitting Lemma, and extend the key result of Green [1999]. They depend on the Berele-Regev theory of representations of general linear Lie super-algebras.

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arXiv2001

Resultants and Chow forms via Exterior Syzygies

Given a sheaf on a projective space P^n we define a sequence of canonical and easily computable Chow complexes on the Grassmannians of planes in P^n, generalizing the Beilinson monad on P^n. If the sheaf has dimension k, then the Chow form of the associated k-cycle is the determinant of the Chow complex on the Grassmannian of planes of codimension k+1. Using the theory of vector bundles and the canonical nature of the complexes we are able to give explicit determinantal and Pfaffian formulas for resultants in some cases where no polynomial formulas were known. For example, the Horrocks-Mumford bundle gives rise to a polynomial formula for the resultant of five homogeneous forms of degree eight in five variables.

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arXiv2001

Sheaf Cohomology and Free Resolutions over Exterior Algebras

In this paper we study the Bernstein-Gel'fand-Gel'fand (BGG) correspondence linking sheaves on a projective space to graded modules over an exterior algebra. We give an explicit construction of a Beilinson monad for a sheaf on projective space. The explicitness allows us to to prove two conjectures about the morphisms in the monad. We also construct all the monads for a sheaf that can be built from sums of line bundles. A large subclass, containing many monads introduced by others, are uniquely characterized by simple numerical data. Our methods also yield an efficient method for machine computation of the cohomology of sheaves. Along the way we study minimal free resolutions over an exterior algebra. For example, we show that such resolutions are eventually dominated by their "linear parts" in the sense that erasing all terms of degree $>1$ in the complex yields a new complex which is eventually exact. This paper is a joint, extended version of papers previously written by Eisenbud-Schreyer and by Fløystad seperately.

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arXiv2001

Hyperplane Arrangement Cohomology and Monomials in the Exterior Algebra

We show that if X is the complement of a complex hyperplane arrangement, then the homology of X has linear free resolution as a module over the exterior algebra on the first cohomology of X. We study invariants of X that can be deduced from this resolution. A key ingredient is a result of Aramova, Avramov, and Herzog [2000] on resolutions of monomial ideals in the exterior algebra. We give a new conceptual proof of this result.

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arXiv2000

Exterior algebra methods for the Minimal Resolution Conjecture

If r\geq 6, r\neq 9, we show that the Minimal Resolution Conjecture fails for a general set of m points in P^r for almost 1/2\sqrt r values of m. This strengthens the result of Eisenbud and Popescu [1999], who found a unique such m for each r in the given range. Our proof begins like a variation of that of Eisenbud and Popescu, but uses exterior algebra methods as explained by Eisenbud and Schreyer [2000] to avoid the degeneration arguments that were the most difficult part of the Eisenbud-Popescu proof. Analogous techniques show that the Minimal Resolution Conjecture fails for linearly normal curves of degree d and genus g when d\geq 3g-2, g\geq 4, reproving results of Schreyer, Green, and Lazarsfeld.

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arXiv2000

Lagrangian Subbundles and Codimension 3 Subcanonical Subscheme

We show that a Gorenstein subcanonical codimension 3 subscheme Z in X = P^N, N > 3, can be realized as the locus along which two Lagrangian subbundles of a twisted orthogonal bundle meet degenerately, and conversely. We extend this result to singular Z and all quasiprojective ambient schemes X under the necessary hypothesis that $Z$ is strongly subcanonical in a sense defined below. A central point is that a pair of Lagrangian subbundles can be transformed locally into an alternating map. In the local case our structure theorem reduces to that of Buchsbaum-Eisenbud and says that Z is Pfaffian. We also prove codimension one symmetric and skew-symmetric analogues of our structure theorems.

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arXiv2000

Sheaf Cohomolog and Free Resolutions over Exterior Algebras

In this paper we derive an explicit version of the Bernstein-Gel'fand-Gel'fand (BGG) correspondence between bounded complexes of coherent sheaves on projective space and minimal doubly infinite free resolutions over its ``Koszul dual'' exterior algebra. This leads to an efficient method for machine computation of the cohomology of sheaves. Among the facts about the BGG correspondence that we derive is that taking homology of a complex of sheaves corresponds to taking the ``linear part'' of a resolution over the exterior algebra. Using these results we give a constructive proof of the existence of a Beilinson monad for a sheaf on projective space. The explicitness of our version allows us to to prove two conjectures about the morphisms in the monad. Along the way we prove a number of results about minimal free resolutions over an exterior algebra. For example, we show that such resolutions are eventually dominated by their "linear parts" in the sense that erasing all terms of degree $>1$ in the complex yields a new complex which is eventually exact.

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arXiv2000

Cohomology on Toric Varieties and Local Cohomology with Monomial Supports

We study the local cohomology modules H^i_B(R) for a reduced monomial ideal B in a polynomial ring R=k[X_1,...,X_n]. We consider a grading on R which is coarser than the Z^n-grading such that each component of H^i_B(R) is finite dimensional and we give an effective way to compute these components. Using Cox's description for sheaves on toric varieties, we apply these results to compute the cohomology of coherent sheaves on toric varieties. We give algorithms for this computation which have been implemented in the Macaulay 2 system. We obtain also a topological description for the cohomology of rank one torsionfree sheaves on toric varieties.

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arXiv1999

Enriques Surfaces and other Non-Pfaffian Subcanonical Subschemes of Codimension 3

We give examples of subcanonical subvarieties of codimension 3 in projective n-space which are not Pfaffian, i.e. defined by the ideal sheaf of submaximal Pfaffians of an alternating map of vector bundles. This gives a negative answer to a question asked by Okonek. Walter had previously shown that a very large majority of subcanonical subschemes of codimension 3 in P^n are Pfaffian, but he left open the question whether the exceptional non-Pfaffian cases actually occur. We give non-Pfaffian examples of the principal types allowed by his theorem, including (Enriques) surfaces in P^5 in characteristic 2 and a smooth 4-fold in P^7. These examples are based on our previous work math.AG/9906170 showing that any strongly subcanonical subscheme of codimension 3 of a Noetherian scheme can be realized as a locus of degenerate intersection of a pair of Lagrangian (maximal isotropic) subbundles of a twisted orthogonal bundle.

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