On the existence of the maximal ideal in the set of associated primes of monomial ideals

Abstract: In this paper, we investigate the behavior of associated primes of powers of monomial ideals, with particular emphasis on the presence of the maximal ideal and the phenomenon of fluctuation. We establish criteria for determining when the maximal ideal belongs to the set of associated primes of powers of monomial ideals in $K[x,y,z]$, and provide examples illustrating its appearance and disappearance among the associated primes of successive powers. Furthermore, we prove that for every $n\geq 3$, there exist infinitely many monomial ideals in $K[x_1,\ldots,x_n]$ whose powers exhibit fluctuations in their sets of associated primes. Finally, we construct infinitely many examples of nearly normally torsion-free (respectively, co-nearly normally torsion-free) monomial ideals that fail to satisfy the persistence (respectively, copersistence) property.