 Solution

Put $\mathcal{Q}={\mathcal{K}}_X^{\ast }/{\mathcal{O}}_X^{\ast }$, the quotient in sheaves of abelian groups, where ${\mathcal{K}}_X^{\ast }$ is the sheaf of nonzero rational functions on an irreducible variety and ${\mathcal{O}}_X^{\ast }$ is the sheaf of units of the structure sheaf. At a closed point, the discrete valuation induces an isomorphismThe kernel consists precisely of the units of the discrete valuation ring, and surjectivity follows by taking powers of a uniformizer.

A global section of $\mathcal{Q}$ is locally represented by nonzero rational functions. Since $X$ has a finite affine cover and is Noetherian, it is quasi-compact, so finitely many such representatives suffice. Each has only finitely many zeros and poles; consequently the valuations of the section define a finite divisor on an algebraic curve. A section with zero valuation at every closed point is zero in every stalk and therefore zero. This gives an injective mapIt is surjective as well. For $D={\sum }_P{n}_{P}P$, take a rational uniformizer $t_P$ at each point of its finite support. On a sufficiently small neighborhood of $P$, the function $t_P^{n_P}$ has the prescribed divisor there: remove the other points in its zero and pole set and the other support points of $D$. On the complement of the support use the rational function $1$. On overlaps these representatives have the same valuations at every point, so their ratios are units everywhere on the overlap, and their classes in $\mathcal{Q}$ agree. The sheaf gluing axiom now supplies a global section. ThusSince $X$ is irreducible, $\Gamma (X,{\mathcal{K}}_X^{\ast })=K^{\ast }$. Under this identification the map to $\Gamma (X,\mathcal{Q})$ is $f\mapsto \mathrm{div}(f)$. Its image is exactly the group of principal divisor elements, and hence