Rational singularity

In mathematics, more particularly in the field of algebraic geometry, a scheme $X$ has rational singularities, if it is normal, of finite type over a field of characteristic zero, and there exists a proper birational map

$f:Y\to X$

from a regular scheme $Y$ such that the higher direct images of $f_{*}$ applied to ${𝒪}_Y$ are trivial. That is,

$R^i{f}_{*}{𝒪}_Y=0$ for $i>0$.

If there is one such resolution, then it follows that all resolutions share this property, since any two resolutions of singularities can be dominated by a third.

For surfaces, rational singularities were defined by (Artin 1966).

Formulations

Alternately, one can say that $X$ has rational singularities if and only if the natural map in the derived category

${𝒪}_X\to R{f}_{*}{𝒪}_Y$

is a quasi-isomorphism. Notice that this includes the statement that ${𝒪}_X\simeq f_{*}{𝒪}_Y$ and hence the assumption that $X$ is normal.

There are related notions in positive and mixed characteristic of

• pseudo-rational

and

• F-rational

Rational singularities are in particular Cohen-Macaulay, normal and Du Bois. They need not be Gorenstein or even Q-Gorenstein.

Log terminal singularities are rational.

Examples

An example of a rational singularity is the singular point of the quadric cone

$x^2+y^2+z^2=0.$

Artin showed that the rational double points of algebraic surfaces are the Du Val singularities.

See also

• Elliptic singularity