Finite generation of Cox rings

Abstract

In this expository note we discuss a class of graded algebras named Cox rings, which are naturally associated to algebraic varieties generalizing the homogeneous coordinate rings of projective spaces. Whenever the Cox ring is finitely generated, the variety admits a quotient presentation by a quasitorus, which resembles the quotient construction of the projective space. We discuss the problem of the finite generation of Cox rings from a geometric perspective and provide examples of both the finitely and non-finitely generated cases.