algebraic geometry Algebraic geometry is a branch of mathematics, classically studying zeros of multivariate polynomials. Modern algebraic geometry is based on the use of abstract algebraic techniques, mainly from commutative algebra, for solving geometrical ...

, a normally flat ring along a proper ideal ''I'' is a

local ring In abstract algebra, more specifically ring theory, local rings are certain rings that are comparatively simple, and serve to describe what is called "local behaviour", in the sense of functions defined on varieties or manifolds, or of algebraic num ...

''A'' such that

I^n/I^

flat Flat or flats may refer to: Architecture * Flat (housing), an apartment in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and other Commonwealth countries Arts and entertainment * Flat (music), a symbol () which denotes a lower pitch * Flat (soldier), ...

over

A/I

for each integer

n \ge 0

. The notion was introduced by Hironaka in his proof of the

resolution of singularities In algebraic geometry, the problem of resolution of singularities asks whether every algebraic variety ''V'' has a resolution, a non-singular variety ''W'' with a proper birational map ''W''→''V''. For varieties over fields of characterist ...

as a refinement of equimultiplicity and was later generalized by Alexander Grothendieck and others.

References

*Herrmann, M., S. Ikeda, and U. Orbanz: Equimultiplicity and Blowing Up. An Algebraic Study with an Appendix by B. Moonen. Springer Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg New-York, 1988. Algebraic geometry {{algebraic-geometry-stub