Smoothings of schemes with non-isolated singularities

Abstract

In this paper we study the deformation and Q-Gorenstein deformation theory of schemes with non-isolated singularities. We obtain obstruction spaces for the existence of deformations and also for local deformations to exist globally. Finally we obtain explicit criteria in order for a pure and reduced scheme of finite type over a field $k$ to have smoothings and Q-Gorenstein smoothings.