On Hilbert coefficients and sequentially Cohen-Macaulay rings

In this paper, we explore the relation between the index of reducibility and the Hilbert coefficients in local rings. Consequently, the main result of this study provides a characterization of a sequentially Cohen-Macaulay ring in terms of its Hilbert coefficients for non-parameter ideals. As corollaries to the main theorem, we obtain characterizations of a Gorenstein/Cohen-Macaulay ring in terms of its Chern coefficients for parameter ideals.