DOCSLIB.ORG

What Is...A Syzygy?

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
What Is...A Syzygy? ?WHAT IS... a Syzygy? Roger Wiegand Linear algebra over rings is lots more fun than resolution of the following form (the rather com- over fields. The main reason is that most modules plicated matrices defining the maps between free over a ring do not have bases—that is, their gen- modules need not concern us): erators usually satisfy some nontrivial relations 3 ∂3 6 ∂2 4 ∂1 or “syzygies”. Given a finitely generated R-module 0 → R −→ R −→ R −→ R → M → 0 M R (where is a commutative ring) and a set This time it takes three steps to resolve the mod- z ,...,z of generators, a syzygy of M is an element 1 n ule: The first module of syzygies of M is ker(ε), the (a ,...,a ) ∈ Rn for which a z + ···+ a z =0. 1 n 1 1 n n second (i.e., the module of syzygies of ker(ε)) is The set of all syzygies (relative to the given gen- ker(∂ ), and the third module of syzygies is ker(∂ ). erating set) is a submodule of Rn, called the mod- 1 2 The 0 at the left end of the exact sequence then tells ule of syzygies. Thus the module of syzygies of M 3 us that ∂ maps R isomorphically onto ker(∂ ), is the kernel of the map Rn −→ M that takes the 3 2 that is, the third syzygy of M is free. standard basis elements of Rn to the given set of Hilbert’s famous “Syzygy Theorem”, published generators. in 1890, states that every finitely generated graded Suppose, for example, that R = C[x, y] and module M = ⊕∞ M over the polynomial ring M = R/m, where m is the maximal ideal consist- i=0 i C[x ,...,x ] has a free resolution of length at most ing of polynomials with no constant term. The 1 n n, that is, its nth syzygy is free. (The grading re- module of syzygies is m, which is generated by x spects the action of the variables, in the sense that and y. These elements are not independent, since ⊆ ≤ they satisfy the non-trivial relation (−y)x + xy =0. xj Mi Mi+1 for all i and all j n. The length is one So we look at the module S of syzygies of m, which less than the number of free modules in the reso- is the rank-one free module generated by the ele- lution.) Hilbert used this result to prove that the → ment (−y,x) ∈ R2. Thus after taking syzygies twice function i dimC Mi is, for large i, a polynomial we have “resolved” M and obtained a free module. function of i. The idea here is that many proper- We say that S is the second module of syzygies of ties of modules are easy to compute for free mod- R/m. We can encode this information in the fol- ules and behave well along exact sequences. Thus, lowing exact sequence (where we have written el- if a module has a finite free resolution, one can eas- ements of R2 as columns, so that matrices act on ily read off certain kinds of numerical data. the left): It turns out that every finitely generated mod- −y x [xy] ule M (not necessarily graded) over a polynomial 0 → R −→ R2 −→ R → R/ → 0 m ring R = k[x1,...,xn], where k is a field, has a free For a slightly more complicated example, let resolution of length at most n. By introducing an- R = C[x, y, z] and resolve the module other variable and “homogenizing”, one can obtain M := R/(x3y + z4,xy2,x3 + y3,z5) . Using the soft- a free resolution of length at most n +1. Using ho- ware package MACAULAY 2, one obtains a free mological ideas available in the 1950s, one can then show that the nth syzygy S of M is stably free, p ∼ q Roger Wiegand is professor of mathematics at the that is, S ⊕ R = R for suitable integers p, q. Now University of Nebraska. His email address is one uses “Serre’s Conjecture”, proved indepen- [email protected]. dently by Quillen and Suslin in 1976: projective 456 NOTICES OF THE AMS VOLUME 53, NUMBER 4 modules over polynomial rings (such as the R- ematicians should know about syzygies, cf. David module S above) are free. Cox’s article in the November 2005 Notices. Let’s switch gears, from graded rings to local I will close by mentioning a few open problems. rings. Suppose R is a (commutative, Noetherian) First, as might be suggested by our first example, local ring with maximal ideal m, and let M be a fi- for the simple module R/m over a regular local ring nitely generated R-module. By choosing a minimal R of dimension n, the Betti numbers are binomial n generating set for M, and then a minimal generat- coefficients: bi = i . The “Horrocks conjecture” as- ing set for the first syzygy, and so on, one obtains serts that these are the smallest possible Betti num- a free resolution bers for a module of projective dimension n. A re- lated problem is the “syzygy conjecture”, which b b b ···→R n →···→R 1 → R 0 → M → 0. asserts that if M has projective dimension n then b − b + b −···±b ≥ i for each i<n. The It is not hard to see that the syzygies are uniquely i i+1 i+2 n conjecture is true for rings containing a field [3], determined up to isomorphism (independent of the but it is still open in the general case. Another choice of generators at each stage). We let syzi(M) open question concerns modules of infinite pro- denote the ith syzygy, that is, the image of the map jective dimension: Given a finitely generated mod- Rbi → Rbi−1 . The integers b = b (M) are called the i i ule M over an arbitrary local ring R, are the Betti Betti numbers of M . If, for some h, we have numbers bi(M) eventually nondecreasing? bh(M) =0 but bi(M)=0 for i>h, we say M has projective dimension h. For the ring of formal power Further Reading C series [[x1,...,xn]] , it follows from Hilbert’s [1] L. AVRAMOV, Homological asymptotics of modules over theorem that every finitely generated module M local rings, Commutative Algebra (M. Hochster, has projective dimension at most n. On the other C. Huneke, J. D. Sally, eds.), Mathematical Sciences hand, for the cuspidal ring R := C[[t2,t3]] = Research Institute Publications, vol. 15, 1987. C[[x, y]]/(y2 − x3), the minimal resolution of the [2] D. EISENBUD, The Geometry of Syzygies, Graduate Texts simple module R/(x, y) is easily seen to be infinite, in Mathematics, vol. 229, Springer, 2005. and periodic after one step: [3] E. G. EVANS and P. GRIFFITH, Syzygies, London Mathe- matics Society Lecture Notes Series, vol. 106, 1985. 2 2 y −x yx −xy xy ···→R2 → R2 → R2 2 y −x −xy xy → R2 → R → M → 0 On the other hand, the Betti numbers of the module C[[t3,t4,t5]]/(t3,t4,t5) over the ring C[[t3,t4,t5]] grow exponentially. These examples are symptoms of general be- havior promised by deep results in the represen- tation theory of local rings. First and foremost is the theorem of Auslander, Buchsbaum, and Serre, which says that a local ring R is regular (meaning, in the geometric context, that it corresponds to a smooth point on a variety) if and only if every fi- nitely generated R-module has finite projective di- mension. Next, if R is any ring of the form C[[x1,...,xn]]/(f ), where f is a nonzero element in the square of the maximal ideal, then the minimal resolution of every finitely generated R-module is eventually periodic, of period at most two. To place the last example in context, see Avramov’s survey [1] of the asymptotic behavior of Betti numbers over local rings. The “WHAT IS…?” column carries short (one- or Syzygies and the structure of free resolutions are two-page) nontechnical articles aimed at graduate stu- dents. Each article focuses on a single mathematical currently the subject of intense research, though object rather than a whole theory. The Notices I have mentioned only a few highlights. For an ac- welcomes feedback and suggestions for topics. Mes- count of the use of syzygies in algebraic geometry, sages may be sent to [email protected]. cf. Eisenbud’s book [2]. To see why applied math- APRIL 2006 NOTICES OF THE AMS 457.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Modules and Vector Spaces
    Modules and Vector Spaces R. C. Daileda October 16, 2017 1 Modules Definition 1. A (left) R-module is a triple (R; M; ·) consisting of a ring R, an (additive) abelian group M and a binary operation · : R × M ! M (simply written as r · m = rm) that for all r; s 2 R and m; n 2 M satisfies • r(m + n) = rm + rn ; • (r + s)m = rm + sm ; • r(sm) = (rs)m. If R has unity we also require that 1m = m for all m 2 M. If R = F , a field, we call M a vector space (over F ). N Remark 1. One can show that as a consequence of this definition, the zeros of R and M both \act like zero" relative to the binary operation between R and M, i.e. 0Rm = 0M and r0M = 0M for all r 2 R and m 2 M. H Example 1. Let R be a ring. • R is an R-module using multiplication in R as the binary operation. • Every (additive) abelian group G is a Z-module via n · g = ng for n 2 Z and g 2 G. In fact, this is the only way to make G into a Z-module. Since we must have 1 · g = g for all g 2 G, one can show that n · g = ng for all n 2 Z. Thus there is only one possible Z-module structure on any abelian group. • Rn = R ⊕ R ⊕ · · · ⊕ R is an R-module via | {z } n times r(a1; a2; : : : ; an) = (ra1; ra2; : : : ; ran): • Mn(R) is an R-module via r(aij) = (raij): • R[x] is an R-module via X i X i r aix = raix : i i • Every ideal in R is an R-module.
    [Show full text]
  • A NOTE on COMPLETE RESOLUTIONS 1. Introduction Let
    PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY Volume 138, Number 11, November 2010, Pages 3815–3820 S 0002-9939(2010)10422-7 Article electronically published on May 20, 2010 A NOTE ON COMPLETE RESOLUTIONS FOTINI DEMBEGIOTI AND OLYMPIA TALELLI (Communicated by Birge Huisgen-Zimmermann) Abstract. It is shown that the Eckmann-Shapiro Lemma holds for complete cohomology if and only if complete cohomology can be calculated using com- plete resolutions. It is also shown that for an LHF-group G the kernels in a complete resolution of a ZG-module coincide with Benson’s class of cofibrant modules. 1. Introduction Let G be a group and ZG its integral group ring. A ZG-module M is said to admit a complete resolution (F, P,n) of coincidence index n if there is an acyclic complex F = {(Fi,ϑi)| i ∈ Z} of projective modules and a projective resolution P = {(Pi,di)| i ∈ Z,i≥ 0} of M such that F and P coincide in dimensions greater than n;thatis, ϑn F : ···→Fn+1 → Fn −→ Fn−1 → ··· →F0 → F−1 → F−2 →··· dn P : ···→Pn+1 → Pn −→ Pn−1 → ··· →P0 → M → 0 A ZG-module M is said to admit a complete resolution in the strong sense if there is a complete resolution (F, P,n)withHomZG(F,Q) acyclic for every ZG-projective module Q. It was shown by Cornick and Kropholler in [7] that if M admits a complete resolution (F, P,n) in the strong sense, then ∗ ∗ F ExtZG(M,B) H (HomZG( ,B)) ∗ ∗ where ExtZG(M, ) is the P-completion of ExtZG(M, ), defined by Mislin for any group G [13] as k k−r r ExtZG(M,B) = lim S ExtZG(M,B) r>k where S−mT is the m-th left satellite of a functor T .
    [Show full text]
  • The Geometry of Syzygies
    The Geometry of Syzygies A second course in Commutative Algebra and Algebraic Geometry David Eisenbud University of California, Berkeley with the collaboration of Freddy Bonnin, Clement´ Caubel and Hel´ ene` Maugendre For a current version of this manuscript-in-progress, see www.msri.org/people/staff/de/ready.pdf Copyright David Eisenbud, 2002 ii Contents 0 Preface: Algebra and Geometry xi 0A What are syzygies? . xii 0B The Geometric Content of Syzygies . xiii 0C What does it mean to solve linear equations? . xiv 0D Experiment and Computation . xvi 0E What’s In This Book? . xvii 0F Prerequisites . xix 0G How did this book come about? . xix 0H Other Books . 1 0I Thanks . 1 0J Notation . 1 1 Free resolutions and Hilbert functions 3 1A Hilbert’s contributions . 3 1A.1 The generation of invariants . 3 1A.2 The study of syzygies . 5 1A.3 The Hilbert function becomes polynomial . 7 iii iv CONTENTS 1B Minimal free resolutions . 8 1B.1 Describing resolutions: Betti diagrams . 11 1B.2 Properties of the graded Betti numbers . 12 1B.3 The information in the Hilbert function . 13 1C Exercises . 14 2 First Examples of Free Resolutions 19 2A Monomial ideals and simplicial complexes . 19 2A.1 Syzygies of monomial ideals . 23 2A.2 Examples . 25 2A.3 Bounds on Betti numbers and proof of Hilbert’s Syzygy Theorem . 26 2B Geometry from syzygies: seven points in P3 .......... 29 2B.1 The Hilbert polynomial and function. 29 2B.2 . and other information in the resolution . 31 2C Exercises . 34 3 Points in P2 39 3A The ideal of a finite set of points .
    [Show full text]
  • On Fusion Categories
    Annals of Mathematics, 162 (2005), 581–642 On fusion categories By Pavel Etingof, Dmitri Nikshych, and Viktor Ostrik Abstract Using a variety of methods developed in the literature (in particular, the theory of weak Hopf algebras), we prove a number of general results about fusion categories in characteristic zero. We show that the global dimension of a fusion category is always positive, and that the S-matrix of any (not nec- essarily hermitian) modular category is unitary. We also show that the cate- gory of module functors between two module categories over a fusion category is semisimple, and that fusion categories and tensor functors between them are undeformable (generalized Ocneanu rigidity). In particular the number of such categories (functors) realizing a given fusion datum is finite. Finally, we develop the theory of Frobenius-Perron dimensions in an arbitrary fusion cat- egory. At the end of the paper we generalize some of these results to positive characteristic. 1. Introduction Throughout this paper (except for §9), k denotes an algebraically closed field of characteristic zero. By a fusion category C over k we mean a k-linear semisimple rigid tensor (=monoidal) category with finitely many simple ob- jects and finite dimensional spaces of morphisms, such that the endomorphism algebra of the neutral object is k (see [BaKi]). Fusion categories arise in several areas of mathematics and physics – conformal field theory, operator algebras, representation theory of quantum groups, and others. This paper is devoted to the study of general properties of fusion cate- gories. This has been an area of intensive research for a number of years, and many remarkable results have been obtained.
    [Show full text]
  • How to Make Free Resolutions with Macaulay2
    How to make free resolutions with Macaulay2 Chris Peterson and Hirotachi Abo 1. What are syzygies? Let k be a field, let R = k[x0, . , xn] be the homogeneous coordinate ring of Pn and let X be a projective variety in Pn. Consider the ideal I(X) of X. Assume that {f0, . , ft} is a generating set of I(X) and that each polynomial fi has degree di. We can express this by saying that we have a surjective homogenous map of graded S-modules: t M R(−di) → I(X), i=0 where R(−di) is a graded R-module with grading shifted by −di, that is, R(−di)k = Rk−di . In other words, we have an exact sequence of graded R-modules: Lt F i=0 R(−di) / R / Γ(X) / 0, M |> MM || MMM || MMM || M& || I(X) 7 D ppp DD pp DD ppp DD ppp DD 0 pp " 0 where F = (f0, . , ft). Example 1. Let R = k[x0, x1, x2]. Consider the union P of three points [0 : 0 : 1], [1 : 0 : 0] and [0 : 1 : 0]. The corresponding ideals are (x0, x1), (x1, x2) and (x2, x0). The intersection of these ideals are (x1x2, x0x2, x0x1). Let I(P ) be the ideal of P . In Macaulay2, the generating set {x1x2, x0x2, x0x1} for I(P ) is described as a 1 × 3 matrix with gens: i1 : KK=QQ o1 = QQ o1 : Ring 1 -- the class of all rational numbers i2 : ringP2=KK[x_0,x_1,x_2] o2 = ringP2 o2 : PolynomialRing i3 : P1=ideal(x_0,x_1); P2=ideal(x_1,x_2); P3=ideal(x_2,x_0); o3 : Ideal of ringP2 o4 : Ideal of ringP2 o5 : Ideal of ringP2 i6 : P=intersect(P1,P2,P3) o6 = ideal (x x , x x , x x ) 1 2 0 2 0 1 o6 : Ideal of ringP2 i7 : gens P o7 = | x_1x_2 x_0x_2 x_0x_1 | 1 3 o7 : Matrix ringP2 <--- ringP2 Definition.
    [Show full text]
  • A NOTE on SHEAVES WITHOUT SELF-EXTENSIONS on the PROJECTIVE N-SPACE
    A NOTE ON SHEAVES WITHOUT SELF-EXTENSIONS ON THE PROJECTIVE n-SPACE. DIETER HAPPEL AND DAN ZACHARIA Abstract. Let Pn be the projective n−space over the complex numbers. In this note we show that an indecomposable rigid coherent sheaf on Pn has a trivial endomorphism algebra. This generalizes a result of Drezet for n = 2: Let Pn be the projective n-space over the complex numbers. Recall that an exceptional sheaf is a coherent sheaf E such that Exti(E; E) = 0 for all i > 0 and End E =∼ C. Dr´ezetproved in [4] that if E is an indecomposable sheaf over P2 such that Ext1(E; E) = 0 then its endomorphism ring is trivial, and also that Ext2(E; E) = 0. Moreover, the sheaf is locally free. Partly motivated by this result, we prove in this short note that if E is an indecomposable coherent sheaf over the projective n-space such that Ext1(E; E) = 0, then we automatically get that End E =∼ C. The proof involves reducing the problem to indecomposable linear modules without self extensions over the polynomial algebra. In the second part of this article, we look at the Auslander-Reiten quiver of the derived category of coherent sheaves over the projective n-space. It is known ([10]) that if n > 1, then all the components are of type ZA1. Then, using the Bernstein-Gelfand-Gelfand correspondence ([3]) we prove that each connected component contains at most one sheaf. We also show that in this case the sheaf lies on the boundary of the component.
    [Show full text]
  • Vector Bundles on Projective Space
    Vector Bundles on Projective Space Takumi Murayama December 1, 2013 1 Preliminaries on vector bundles Let X be a (quasi-projective) variety over k. We follow [Sha13, Chap. 6, x1.2]. Definition. A family of vector spaces over X is a morphism of varieties π : E ! X −1 such that for each x 2 X, the fiber Ex := π (x) is isomorphic to a vector space r 0 0 Ak(x).A morphism of a family of vector spaces π : E ! X and π : E ! X is a morphism f : E ! E0 such that the following diagram commutes: f E E0 π π0 X 0 and the map fx : Ex ! Ex is linear over k(x). f is an isomorphism if fx is an isomorphism for all x. A vector bundle is a family of vector spaces that is locally trivial, i.e., for each x 2 X, there exists a neighborhood U 3 x such that there is an isomorphism ': π−1(U) !∼ U × Ar that is an isomorphism of families of vector spaces by the following diagram: −1 ∼ r π (U) ' U × A (1.1) π pr1 U −1 where pr1 denotes the first projection. We call π (U) ! U the restriction of the vector bundle π : E ! X onto U, denoted by EjU . r is locally constant, hence is constant on every irreducible component of X. If it is constant everywhere on X, we call r the rank of the vector bundle. 1 The following lemma tells us how local trivializations of a vector bundle glue together on the entire space X.
    [Show full text]
  • Math 615: Lecture of April 16, 2007 We Next Note the Following Fact
    Math 615: Lecture of April 16, 2007 We next note the following fact: n Proposition. Let R be any ring and F = R a free module. If f1, . , fn ∈ F generate F , then f1, . , fn is a free basis for F . n n Proof. We have a surjection R F that maps ei ∈ R to fi. Call the kernel N. Since F is free, the map splits, and we have Rn =∼ F ⊕ N. Then N is a homomorphic image of Rn, and so is finitely generated. If N 6= 0, we may preserve this while localizing at a suitable maximal ideal m of R. We may therefore assume that (R, m, K) is quasilocal. Now apply n ∼ n K ⊗R . We find that K = K ⊕ N/mN. Thus, N = mN, and so N = 0. The final step in our variant proof of the Hilbert syzygy theorem is the following: Lemma. Let R = K[x1, . , xn] be a polynomial ring over a field K, let F be a free R- module with ordered free basis e1, . , es, and fix any monomial order on F . Let M ⊆ F be such that in(M) is generated by a subset of e1, . , es, i.e., such that M has a Gr¨obner basis whose initial terms are a subset of e1, . , es. Then M and F/M are R-free. Proof. Let S be the subset of e1, . , es generating in(M), and suppose that S has r ∼ s−r elements. Let T = {e1, . , es} − S, which has s − r elements. Let G = R be the free submodule of F spanned by T .
    [Show full text]
  • Depth, Dimension and Resolutions in Commutative Algebra
    Depth, Dimension and Resolutions in Commutative Algebra Claire Tête PhD student in Poitiers MAP, May 2014 Claire Tête Commutative Algebra This morning: the Koszul complex, regular sequence, depth Tomorrow: the Buchsbaum & Eisenbud criterion and the equality of Aulsander & Buchsbaum through examples. Wednesday: some elementary results about the homology of a bicomplex Claire Tête Commutative Algebra I will begin with a little example. Let us consider the ideal a = hX1, X2, X3i of A = k[X1, X2, X3]. What is "the" resolution of A/a as A-module? (the question is deliberatly not very precise) Claire Tête Commutative Algebra I will begin with a little example. Let us consider the ideal a = hX1, X2, X3i of A = k[X1, X2, X3]. What is "the" resolution of A/a as A-module? (the question is deliberatly not very precise) We would like to find something like this dm dm−1 d1 · · · Fm Fm−1 · · · F1 F0 A/a with A-modules Fi as simple as possible and s.t. Im di = Ker di−1. Claire Tête Commutative Algebra I will begin with a little example. Let us consider the ideal a = hX1, X2, X3i of A = k[X1, X2, X3]. What is "the" resolution of A/a as A-module? (the question is deliberatly not very precise) We would like to find something like this dm dm−1 d1 · · · Fm Fm−1 · · · F1 F0 A/a with A-modules Fi as simple as possible and s.t. Im di = Ker di−1. We say that F· is a resolution of the A-module A/a Claire Tête Commutative Algebra I will begin with a little example.
    [Show full text]
  • Reflexivity Revisited
    REFLEXIVITY REVISITED MOHSEN ASGHARZADEH ABSTRACT. We study some aspects of reflexive modules. For example, we search conditions for which reflexive modules are free or close to free modules. 1. INTRODUCTION In this note (R, m, k) is a commutative noetherian local ring and M is a finitely generated R- module, otherwise specializes. The notation stands for a general module. For simplicity, M the notation ∗ stands for HomR( , R). Then is called reflexive if the natural map ϕ : M M M M is bijection. Finitely generated projective modules are reflexive. In his seminal paper M→M∗∗ Kaplansky proved that projective modules (over local rings) are free. The local assumption is really important: there are a lot of interesting research papers (even books) on the freeness of projective modules over polynomial rings with coefficients from a field. In general, the class of reflexive modules is extremely big compared to the projective modules. As a generalization of Seshadri’s result, Serre observed over 2-dimensional regular local rings that finitely generated reflexive modules are free in 1958. This result has some applications: For instance, in the arithmetical property of Iwasawa algebras (see [45]). It seems freeness of reflexive modules is subtle even over very special rings. For example, in = k[X,Y] [29, Page 518] Lam says that the only obvious examples of reflexive modules over R : (X,Y)2 are the free modules Rn. Ramras posed the following: Problem 1.1. (See [19, Page 380]) When are finitely generated reflexive modules free? Over quasi-reduced rings, problem 1.1 was completely answered (see Proposition 4.22).
    [Show full text]
  • Vector Bundles and Projective Modules
    VECTOR BUNDLES AND PROJECTIVE MODULES BY RICHARD G. SWAN(i) Serre [9, §50] has shown that there is a one-to-one correspondence between algebraic vector bundles over an affine variety and finitely generated projective mo- dules over its coordinate ring. For some time, it has been assumed that a similar correspondence exists between topological vector bundles over a compact Haus- dorff space X and finitely generated projective modules over the ring of con- tinuous real-valued functions on X. A number of examples of projective modules have been given using this correspondence. However, no rigorous treatment of the correspondence seems to have been given. I will give such a treatment here and then give some of the examples which may be constructed in this way. 1. Preliminaries. Let K denote either the real numbers, complex numbers or quaternions. A X-vector bundle £ over a topological space X consists of a space F(£) (the total space), a continuous map p : E(Ç) -+ X (the projection) which is onto, and, on each fiber Fx(¡z)= p-1(x), the structure of a finite di- mensional vector space over K. These objects are required to satisfy the follow- ing condition: for each xeX, there is a neighborhood U of x, an integer n, and a homeomorphism <p:p-1(U)-> U x K" such that on each fiber <b is a X-homo- morphism. The fibers u x Kn of U x K" are X-vector spaces in the obvious way. Note that I do not require n to be a constant.
    [Show full text]
  • Computations in Algebraic Geometry with Macaulay 2
    Computations in algebraic geometry with Macaulay 2 Editors: D. Eisenbud, D. Grayson, M. Stillman, and B. Sturmfels Preface Systems of polynomial equations arise throughout mathematics, science, and engineering. Algebraic geometry provides powerful theoretical techniques for studying the qualitative and quantitative features of their solution sets. Re- cently developed algorithms have made theoretical aspects of the subject accessible to a broad range of mathematicians and scientists. The algorith- mic approach to the subject has two principal aims: developing new tools for research within mathematics, and providing new tools for modeling and solv- ing problems that arise in the sciences and engineering. A healthy synergy emerges, as new theorems yield new algorithms and emerging applications lead to new theoretical questions. This book presents algorithmic tools for algebraic geometry and experi- mental applications of them. It also introduces a software system in which the tools have been implemented and with which the experiments can be carried out. Macaulay 2 is a computer algebra system devoted to supporting research in algebraic geometry, commutative algebra, and their applications. The reader of this book will encounter Macaulay 2 in the context of concrete applications and practical computations in algebraic geometry. The expositions of the algorithmic tools presented here are designed to serve as a useful guide for those wishing to bring such tools to bear on their own problems. A wide range of mathematical scientists should find these expositions valuable. This includes both the users of other programs similar to Macaulay 2 (for example, Singular and CoCoA) and those who are not interested in explicit machine computations at all.
    [Show full text]