Singularities of square-free polynomials

Abstract

We prove that hypersurfaces defined by irreducible square-free polynomials have rational singularities. As an easy consequence, we deduce that certain (possibly non-square-free) polynomials associated to pairs of square-free polynomials define hypersurfaces with rational singularities. This extends results on certain classes of polynomials associated to matroids and Feynman diagrams in [BW].

9 pages; v.2: revised version, incorporating the referee's suggestions. Several references have been added