Defect and Local Uniformization

Abstract

We give a simple algorithm showing that the reduction of the multiplicity of a characteristic p>0 hypersurface singularity along a valuation is possible if there is a finite linear projection which is defectless. The method begins with the algorithm of Zariski to reduce multiplicity of hypersuface singularities in characteristic 0 along a valuation. This gives a simple demonstration that the only obstruction to local uniformization in positive characteristic is from defect arising in finite projections of singularities.