Arnold's problem on monotonicity of the Newton number for surface singularities

Abstract

According to the Kouchnirenko theorem, for a generic (precisely non-degenerate in the Kouchnirenko sense) isolated singularity $f$ its Milnor number $μ(f)$ is equal to the Newton number $ν(Γ_{+}(f))$ of a combinatorial object associated to $f$, the Newton polyhedron $Γ_+ (f)$. We give a simple condition characterising, in terms of $Γ_+ (f)$ and $Γ_+ (g)$, the equality $ν(Γ_{+}(f)) = ν(Γ_{+}(g))$, for any surface singularities $f$ and $g$ satisfying $Γ_+ (f) \subset Γ_+ (g)$. This is a complete solution to an Arnold's problem (1982-16) in this case.