We introduce the notion of the Bernstein–Sato polynomial of an arbitrary variety (which is not necessarily reduced nor irreducible) using the theory of V-filtrations of M. Kashiwara and B. Malgrange. We prove that the decreasing filtration by multiplier ideals coincides essentially with the restriction of the V-filtration. This implies a relation between the roots of the Bernstein–Sato polynomial and the jumping coefficients of the multiplier ideals, and also a criterion for rational singularities in terms of the maximal root of the polynomial in the case of a reduced complete intersection. These are generalizations of the hypersurface case. We can calculate the polynomials explicitly in the case of monomial ideals.

We give dimension formulas for the cotangent cohomology groups Ti for all rational surface singularities. The computations take place on the first blow-up of the singularity.

We consider the Zariski closure of Thom–Boardman strata $\Sigma^{i, j}$ in the jet space for map-germs $(\mathbf{C}^n, 0)\to(\mathbf{C}^p, 0)$. We apply the geometric technique of calculating syzygies to the desingularization of $\Sigma^{i, j}$ constructed by Ronga. We investigate when the normalization of the coordinate ring of $\Sigma^{i, j}$ is rational in the cases $i = n - p + 1$ or $i = j = 1$. We also consider when these coordinate rings are normal with rational singularities.

In this paper we give explicit equations for determinantal rational surface singularities and prove dimension formulas for the t$^1$ and T$^2$ for those singularities.