On a question of Buchweitz about ranks of syzygies of modules of finite length

Abstract

Let R be a local ring of dimension d. Buchweitz asks if the rank of the d-th syzygy of a module of finite lengh is greater than or equal to the rank of the d-th syzygy of the residue field, unless the module has finite projective dimension. Assuming that R is Gorenstein, we prove that if the question is affrmative, then R is a hypersurface. If moreover R has dimension two, then we show that the converse also holds true.