An algebraic closure of a field is an algebraically closed field that is an algebraic extension of .
By definition, every element of
is algebraic over , and the question allows us to use that this set is a field. It remains to prove that it is algebraically closed.
Let be nonconstant. Its finitely many coefficients generate a finite extension . By the fundamental theorem of algebra, has a root . Since is a root of a polynomial over , it is algebraic over ; since is algebraic, transitivity of algebraic extensions makes algebraic over . Thus . Repeating after division by shows that splits there, so is algebraically closed and is an algebraic closure of .
Because , the finite extension is separable. By the primitive element theorem, write . The minimal polynomial of over has a root in the algebraically closed field , so sending to that root defines a -field embedding .
The cyclic group acts faithfully on after replacing by the order of . The Artin fixed-field theorem gives
and says that is a finite Galois extension with cyclic Galois group . The image is an intermediate field. Every subgroup of a cyclic group is normal, so the normal subextension criterion shows that is Galois, and its Galois group is a quotient of , hence cyclic. Transporting this structure through proves that is Galois with cyclic Galois group. This is the finite extensions of the fixed field of a finite-order automorphism of an algebraically closed field theorem.
Algebraic closedness is necessary. Take and , so , and let . The extension has degree three but is not normal, since the two nonreal roots of do not belong to . It is therefore not Galois.
Zariski lemma says that a field which is a finitely generated algebra over a field is a finite algebraic extension of . The Strong Hilbert Nullstellensatz says that, for an ideal over an algebraically closed field,
Let the unique point of be and let
The Nullstellensatz gives , so . Each of the finitely many generators of has some power . If
then every monomial of total degree in the is divisible by one of the . Hence
Thus the assertion is true; algebraically, the quotient defines a punctual scheme supported at .
For an algebraically closed field , the strong Hilbert Nullstellensatz says that every ideal satisfies
Its weak form says that exactly when . Now let and let be a homogeneous ideal. The affine zero set of is the affine cone over together with the origin. Hence, when the projective zero set is empty, either
or the affine zero set is exactly the origin. In the latter case the Hilbert Nullstellensatz gives
the irrelevant ideal of projective space. Equivalently, some power is contained in . These are precisely the alternatives in the Projective Nullstellensatz.
Let be a smooth quadric surface. After a projective linear transformation, the Segre embedding identifies
Choose distinct points . The two fibres
are the promised disjoint curves on a smooth quadric surface: each is a smooth projective line, and . By the Bézout theorem, any two nonempty curves in the projective plane intersect. An isomorphism of algebraic varieties preserves intersections and takes projective curves to projective curves, so these disjoint curves prove
Next let be a smooth projective curve and let be a rational map to a projective variety. At a point outside its initial domain, write
using elements of the function field . The local ring of a smooth algebraic curve at is a discrete valuation ring. If , multiplying every coordinate by a function of valuation makes all coordinates regular at and at least one a unit there. They therefore define a morphism near . Repeating this at the finitely many missing points proves the extension of a rational map from a smooth projective curve.
Smoothness is essential. Let be the normalization of a nodal curve for a rational nodal cubic . The inverse is a rational map on the smooth locus. If it extended to a morphism , then would agree with the identity on a dense Zariski-open subset of and hence everywhere. But the two distinct points above the node would satisfy
a contradiction. This is the failure of rational-map extension on a singular curve.
Finally take the Fermat cubic curve
and define the projective hypersurface
Because and have no common irreducible factor, the bihomogeneous polynomial is irreducible, so is an algebraic variety. Let
be the second coordinate projection. Every homogeneous cubic in three variables has a projective zero over , so every fibre is nonempty and is a surjective morphism. Over the fibre is the Fermat cubic curve, which is smooth and has genus
Over the fibre is
the union of exactly three distinct projective lines, hence exactly three irreducible components. This is the cubic pencil with a triangular member required by the question.
Yes. Let be maximal and set
Then is a field generated as a -algebra by countably many elements. Since the polynomial ring in countably many variables has a countable monomial basis, has at most countable dimension as a -vector space.
Suppose were transcendental over . The family
would be linearly independent over . Indeed, after multiplying a finite relation by , evaluation at forces the th coefficient to vanish. This would be an uncountable linearly independent subset of the countable-dimensional vector space , a contradiction.
Thus is algebraic. Since is an algebraically closed field, . If is the image of , the quotient map is evaluation at and
For an algebraically closed field , the Weak Hilbert Nullstellensatz says that every maximal ideal of is
for a unique . Equivalently, every proper ideal has a common zero. The Strong Hilbert Nullstellensatz says that for every ideal ,
To deduce the strong form, let vanish on and introduce a variable . The equations in together with have no common zero: a common zero would satisfy both and . The weak theorem therefore gives
Substitute in the localization . The last term vanishes, and clearing a power of yields . Thus . The reverse inclusion is immediate, completing the Rabinowitsch trick proof.
For an ideal , define
For , define
and recall that is the radical of an ideal.
For an algebraically closed field , the Weak Hilbert Nullstellensatz says that every maximal ideal of is
for a unique , equivalently every proper ideal has a common zero. The Strong Hilbert Nullstellensatz says
To prove the weak form, let be maximal. The residue field
is a field finitely generated as a -algebra. By the Zariski lemma, is finite algebraic; algebraic closedness gives . If is the image of , the quotient map is evaluation at and its kernel is . This proves the assertion.
The theory of algebraically closed fields of characteristic zero is strongly minimal in its field sort. Let
and take . The countable tuples
have the same type because both are algebraically independent sequences. The element is independent from , but there is no element of independent from , since is a transcendence basis and . Thus the partial elementary map cannot be extended to , so is not -homogeneous.
Over an algebraically closed field, remove a smooth hyperplane conic from a smooth quadric surface . The rulings of a smooth quadric surface generate , and has class . Picard-group localization on a smooth variety gives the quotient by . The restricted ruling bundle is a generator, exhibiting a nontrivial line bundle on an affine surface.
Prevariety 2026-10-05
In the classical convention over an algebraically closed field , a prevariety is an irreducible topological space with a sheaf of rings which has a finite open cover by affine varieties, with compatible local identifications. A prevariety need not be separated. A classical algebraic variety is a separated prevariety: its diagonal morphism has closed image. Some authors allow reducible prevarieties and varieties; the separation criterion and product construction remain the same under that convention.
Projective Nullstellensatz Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
Let be a homogeneous ideal over an algebraically closed field, and let
be the irrelevant ideal. Then exactly when either or . For a proper homogeneous ideal this is also equivalent to for some .
Over an algebraically closed field, a smooth four-variable projective quadratic equation can be written , including in characteristic two. Its quadratic form splits into two hyperbolic planes: choose an isotropic vector and its paired vector, adjust the latter to be isotropic, and repeat on the orthogonal complement. In characteristic two, smoothness forces the alternating polar form in dimension four to have full rank, since a positive-dimensional radical has a nonzero isotropic vector over the algebraically closed field and would give a singular point. The Segre embedding then gives the isomorphism. Each matrix of coordinates has rank one, which supplies the inverse pair of projective factors.
For a finite-dimensional module over an algebraically closed field, write a Krull-Schmidt decomposition with distinct indecomposable types. Each endomorphism ring of is a local endomorphism ring with residue division algebra , by the finite-dimensional division algebra over an algebraically closed field result. Modulo the Jacobson radical of , the blocks of one type become and all maps between different types vanish. A composite through a different indecomposable type cannot be invertible, since that would make one type a direct summand of the other. This yields the displayed product and the Levi decomposition of a quiver automorphism group.
Smooth quadric surface Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
Over an algebraically closed field of characteristic other than two, every smooth quadric surface in becomes
after a projective linear transformation. The Segre embedding identifies it with .
Tsen theorem 2026-10-07
The function field of a curve over an algebraically closed field is a C1 field. Consequently its Brauer group is zero. This is the input for cyclic splitting by extension of constants over a finite constant field.
Two-dimensional subalgebra criterion for Lie algebra nilpotence Created 2026-10-06 Updated 2026-10-07
Over an algebraically closed field, a finite-dimensional Lie algebra is nilpotent exactly when every two-dimensional Lie subalgebra is abelian. A nonnilpotent Adjoint representation matrix has a nonzero eigenvalue with eigenvector , so generates a nonabelian two-dimensional subalgebra. Conversely a subalgebra of a nilpotent Lie algebra is nilpotent, while a nonabelian two-dimensional algebra has a basis with and a nonnilpotent adjoint matrix. Algebraic closure is what guarantees the required eigenvector.
Unipotent matrix 2026-10-06
A square matrix is unipotent when is nilpotent. Over an algebraically closed field, this is equivalent to all eigenvalues being one. If belongs to a nilpotent ideal of an operator algebra, is a unipotent matrix. This realizes the radical factor in the Levi decomposition of a quiver automorphism group.