Is the quotient ring of a polynomial ring by a prime ideal integrally closed?

139 Views Asked by At

Let $R$ be a polynomial ring of several variables over $\mathbb{Q}$ (says $x_1,...,x_n$) and $I$ be a prime ideal of $k$. We already knew that $R$ is an integrally closed domain since it is a UFD. Is being integrally closed also applied for the quotient ring $R/I$?

If the statement is not true in general, let us consider the specific case $n=3$ and $I=(x_1^3-x_2^6x_3)$. I have already checked that $I$ is a prime ideal using Eisenstein's criterion. Now is $R/I$ integrally closed? I knew some tools that can be used to check the integral property of a ring extension, but so far I don't know any tools than can also be apply for these cases, since we are working with the integrally closed property over the fraction field.

Any help is appreciated.

1

There are 1 best solutions below

4
On BEST ANSWER

The first question asks if every integral domain which is finitely generated over $\mathbb{Q}$ is integrally closed. This is not correct (of course, otherwise we would not need that notion). For example, $\mathbb{Q}[T^2,T^3] \cong \mathbb{Q}[X,Y]/\langle Y^2-X^3\rangle$ is not integrally closed (consider $a=Y/X$, then $a^2=X$).

For your other example $A = \mathbb{Q}[X,Y,Z]/\langle X^3-Y^6 Z \rangle$, in $Q(A)$ we have $ZY^3=(X/Y)^3$, and you can prove $X/Y \notin A$. Thus, $A$ is not integrally closed.