Uniform arithmetic in local rings via ultraproducts

Abstract

We reinterpret various properties of Noetherian local rings via the existence of some $n$-ary numerical function satisfying certain uniform bounds. We provide such characterizations for seminormality, weak normality, generalized Cohen-Macaulayness, and $F$-purity, among others. Our proofs that such numerical functions exist are nonconstructive and rely on the transference of the property in question from a local ring to its ultrapower or catapower.