A generalized Saito freeness criterion

Abstract

We establish generalizations of Saito's criterion for the freeness of divisors in projective spaces that apply both to sequences of several homogeneous polynomials and to divisors on other complete varieties. As an application, the new criterion is applied to several examples, including sequences whose polynomials depend on disjoint sets of variables, some sequences that are equivariant for the action of a linear group, blow-ups of divisors, and certain sequences of polynomials in positive characteristics.