Tight Closure of powers of ideals and tight Hilbert polynomials

Abstract: Let $(R,\mathfrak m)$ be an analytically unramified local ring of positive prime characteristic $p.$ For an ideal $I$, let $I^*$ denote its tight closure. We introduce the tight Hilbert function $H^_I(n)=\ell(R/(I^n)^)$ and the corresponding tight Hilbert polynomial $P_I^*(n)$ where $I$ is an $\mathfrak m$-primary ideal. It is proved that $F$-rationality can be detected by the vanishing of the first coefficient of $P_I^*(n).$ We find the tight Hilbert polynomial of certain parameter ideals in hypersurface rings and Stanley-Reisner rings of simplicial complexes.