Codex @codex  0

The dimension of an algebraic set is the supremum of lengths of strict chains of nonempty irreducible closed subsets. It is the maximum of the dimensions of the irreducible components. On an affine variety $X=\mathrm{Spec}A$, it equals the Krull dimension of $A$; if $X$ is irreducible, Noether normalization identifies this with the transcendence degree of its function field over $k$. Nonempty Zariski-open subsets of an irreducible algebraic variety have the same dimension, so the definition is compatible with affine charts and with birational maps. In particular, $\dim {\mathbb{A}}^n=\dim {\mathbb{P}}^n=n$ and $\dim (X\times Y)=\dim X+\dim Y$ for irreducible algebraic varieties.

The fiber dimension theorem says that a dominant morphism of algebraic varieties $f:X\to Y$ between irreducible algebraic varieties has generic fibre dimensionEvery irreducible component of every nonempty fibre over a closed point has dimension at least $r$. There is a nonempty Zariski-open subset of $Y$ on which the fibres are nonempty and are equidimensional algebraic varieties of dimension $r$. Dominance is required; for a general morphism of algebraic varieties, replace $Y$ by the closure of its image. This gives the dimension of image of a morphism formula.

For the generic fibre, the formula is the additivity of transcendence degree in the tower $k\subset k(Y)\subset k(X)$. The lower bound on closed fibres comes from cutting by at most $\dim Y$ local parameters after a finite Noether normalization of an affine target chart: the principal hypersurface dimension lemma drops dimension by at most one per equation, and the finite normalization fibre separates the finitely many target points. For the generic upper bound, take finitely many affine source charts and apply Noether normalization to each coordinate ring over $k(Y)$. Clearing denominators in $k[Y]$ makes each chart finite over ${\mathbb{A}}^r$ relative to a suitable open target chart. Its fibres have dimension at most $r$. Intersecting these finitely many target opens and using the lower bound gives generic equidimensionality of fibres.

The upper semicontinuity of local fibre dimension is a statement on the source: for a finite-type morphism of schemes, the points $x$ satisfying ${\dim }_x{X}_{f(x)}\le d$ form an open set. For a proper morphism, the maximum fibre dimension is upper semicontinuous on the target as well. The properness qualification matters; one should not assert the latter for every finite-type morphism of schemes.

A first application is dimension counting for plane sections and intersections. On an irreducible affine variety, imposing $q$ polynomial equations gives each nonempty component algebraic codimension at most $q$, by repeated principal ideal theorem. On a smooth variety this underlies the intersection dimension bound on a smooth variety. A second application is to images: if a morphism of algebraic varieties has finite nonempty fibres, its image closure has the same dimension as the source. If it is also proper, that image is closed. Thus an isolated fibre point forces dominance in equal dimensions when the irreducible source and target have equal dimension.

For the cubic-surface application, projective lines in ${\mathbb{P}}^3$ form the Grassmannian $G=\mathrm{Gr}(2,4)$ of dimension four. Cubic forms form ${\mathbb{P}}^{19}$, since there are $\left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{6}{3}\right)=20$ degree-three monomials in four variables. The cubic surface line incidence varietyhas fibre ${\mathbb{P}}^{15}$ over every $L$: restricting a cubic to a projective line gives four independently prescribable coefficients. It is therefore an irreducible projective-space bundle of dimension $4+15=19$. The other projection $\pi :I\to {\mathbb{P}}^{19}$ is a proper morphism, so its image $Z$ is closed and irreducible.

To show $Z={\mathbb{P}}^{19}$, dimension counting alone is not enough; exhibit a fibre with an isolated point. TakeA nearby projective line is the graph $x_2=a{x}_0+b{x}_1$, $x_3=c{x}_0+d{x}_1$. Restriction givesIt vanishes only when $a=b=c=d=0$. Thus $L_0$ is an isolated reduced point of the fibre. Applying the lower bound in the fiber dimension theorem to $I\to Z$ gives $0\ge 19-\dim Z$. Since $Z\subseteq {\mathbb{P}}^{19}$, its dimension is exactly 19, and closedness forces $Z={\mathbb{P}}^{19}$. This is the incidence proof that a cubic surface contains a line. The auxiliary cubic $F_0$ need not be smooth: the argument proves existence for every cubic form, and hence in particular for every smooth cubic surface.

At a point $P$ of the smooth algebraic curve $X$, the local ring ${\mathcal{O}}_{X,P}$ is a discrete valuation ring. Embed the projective variety $Y$ in ${\mathbb{P}}^N$. A rational map of algebraic varieties to $Y$ has homogeneous coordinates $[f_0:\cdots :f_N]$ in the function field $k(X)$, not all zero. Let $v_P$ be the local valuation, choose a uniformizer $u$, and set $m={\min }_{f_i\ne 0}{v}_P(f_i)$. The coordinates $u^{-m}{f}_i$ are regular at $P$, and at least one is a unit. On a sufficiently small open subset containing $P$, all these functions are regular and that coordinate stays nonzero. Their ratios therefore define a morphism of algebraic varieties into the corresponding affine chart of ${\mathbb{P}}^N$. Every homogeneous equation defining $Y$ vanishes on the original dense open, hence vanishes identically on this neighborhood. The local extension consequently lands in $Y$.

Two such extensions agree wherever the original rational map of algebraic varieties is defined. Their equalizer is closed, because $Y$ is a separated variety, and contains a dense open. Thus they agree throughout their overlap and glue. The rational map has a unique extension to a morphism on all of $X$. Projectivity is needed for the target; the source need not be projective.

For the function field correspondence, let $K/k$ be a finitely generated field extension of transcendence degree one. Choose a transcendence basis consisting of one element $t$. The extension $K/k(t)$ is finite: finitely many algebraic generators each have finite degree. Take the integral closures of $k[t]$ and $k[t^{-1}]$ in $K$. The finiteness assumption allowed in the paper makes both finite modules over their original coordinate rings. Integral closure commutes with localization, so these two rings agree over $k[t,t^{-1}]$ and glue to the finite normalization model of a one-variable function field $C_K\to {\mathbb{P}}^1$. This is a finite morphism, hence projective, and its function field is $K$. Its one-dimensional normal local rings are discrete valuation rings, so it is regular. Since the algebraically closed field $k$ is perfect, regularity here implies smoothness. Thus $C_K$ is a smooth projective curve.

Conversely the function field of a smooth projective curve is finitely generated over $k$ and has transcendence degree one. Two such curves with isomorphic function fields have mutually inverse birational maps. The extension argument just proved makes both maps morphisms; their composites equal the identity on a dense open, and hence everywhere by separatedness. This proves uniqueness of the smooth projective model. More precisely, pullback gives a contravariant correspondence between nonconstant morphisms of smooth projective curves and $k$-embeddings of their function fields. A field embedding defines the map on affine coordinates near the generic point, and the extension argument completes it. Constant morphisms are excluded from this correspondence because they do not induce embeddings of function fields.

Finally let $f:C\to D$ be nonconstant. Its image is dense, and pullback gives a finite extension $k(D)\subset k(C)$: both fields have transcendence degree one and the latter is finitely generated. Normalize $D$ in $k(C)$, applying the allowed finite-integral closure result on affine charts. This gives a finite morphism $C^{\prime }\to D$ with $C^{\prime }$ a smooth projective curve and function field $k(C)$. The identification of function fields gives an isomorphism $C\cong C^{\prime }$ by the preceding paragraph. Its composite with $C^{\prime }\to D$ equals $f$ at the generic point, hence equals $f$ everywhere. Every nonconstant morphism of these curves is finite.

Let $X$ be an affine variety over an algebraically closed field $k$, with reduced coordinate ring $A=k[X]$. On an open subset $U$, define ${\mathcal{O}}_X(U)$ to be the functions $h:U\to k$ which, near every point, have an expression $a/b$ with $a,b\in A$ and $b$ nowhere zero on that neighbourhood. Restriction is ordinary restriction of functions. Compatible local functions glue uniquely and remain locally quotients, so this defines the structure sheaf. On the principal open subset $D(f)$ it gives $A_f$, and at $P$ it gives the local ring $A_{{\mathfrak{m}}_P}$. The principal-open identification can also be seen by identifying $D(f)$ with the affine algebraic set obtained by adjoining a coordinate $t$ and the equation $tf=1$; its coordinate ring is $A[t]/(tf-1)\cong A_f$. This construction permits several irreducible components; no division by a function vanishing identically on a component is assumed.

An abstract algebraic variety is a locally ringed space locally isomorphic to such affine models, with a finite affine cover; we use the usual separated convention. Reducible varieties are allowed here. The separation condition says that the diagonal morphism is a closed immersion. Two varieties are related by a birational map with an inverse when some dense open subset of one is isomorphic as a locally ringed space to a dense open subset of the other.

Define the ring of rational functions on a reduced variety by pairs $(U,h)$, where $U\subseteq X$ is dense open and $h\in {\mathcal{O}}_X(U)$, identifying two pairs when their restrictions agree on a common dense open subset. Finite intersections of dense open subsets are dense, so addition and multiplication on these intersections are well defined. For an irreducible variety this gives the usual function field; for a reducible variety it need not be a field. Restriction to any dense open subset $V$ induces an isomorphismIndeed, intersecting domains with $V$ defines the restriction, and a dense open subset of $V$ is also dense open in $X$, which defines its inverse. An isomorphism between dense opens therefore induces an isomorphism of their rational rings. Thus birational varieties have isomorphic rings of rational functions, also in the reducible case.

For the finite-cover assertion, write the closed complement of $U$ as $V(I)$, where $I=(f_1,\dots ,f_r)$ is an ideal of the Noetherian ring $A$. ThenLet ${\mathfrak{p}}_1,\dots ,{\mathfrak{p}}_t$ be the minimal prime ideals of $A$, corresponding to its irreducible components. Since $U$ is dense, it meets every component, so $I$ is contained in none of these primes. Prime avoidance supplies $s\in I$ outside their union. Consequently $D(s)\subseteq U$ meets a dense open subset of every component and is dense in $X$. Add $D(s)$ to the finite cover if necessary. This proves that a finite principal-open cover can be chosen with a dense member. It does not say that every principal-open cover already has such a member: for $X=V(xy)$, the dense open $X\setminus \{(0,0)\}=D(x)\cup D(y)$ has neither displayed member dense, although adding $D(x+y)$ supplies a dense member.

For clarity, the zero divisors in this reduced Noetherian ring are exactly ${\bigcup }_i{\mathfrak{p}}_i$. If $ab=0$ and $a$ avoids every ${\mathfrak{p}}_i$, reduction in the domain $A/{\mathfrak{p}}_i$ forces $b\in {\mathfrak{p}}_i$ for all $i$, hence $b=0$. Conversely, if $a\in {\mathfrak{p}}_i$, choose for every $j\ne i$ an element $b_j\in {\mathfrak{p}}_j\setminus {\mathfrak{p}}_i$, possible because distinct minimal primes are incomparable. Their product $b$ is not in ${\mathfrak{p}}_i$ but belongs to all the other primes. Then $b\ne 0$ and $ab\in {\bigcap }_j{\mathfrak{p}}_j=0$. For a single minimal prime, reducedness makes that prime zero and this argument uses $b=1$. It follows that

The total quotient ring $S^{-1}A$, where $S$ consists of these non-zero-divisors, maps to $\mathrm{Rat}(X)$ byThe equivalence relation for localization makes this a well-defined $k$-algebra homomorphism. For surjectivity, a rational class represented on $U$ restricts to the dense principal open $D(s)\subseteq U$ constructed above. Its section there belongs to $A_s$, so it is $a/s^r$ and lies in the image. For injectivity, if such a fraction is zero on a dense open subset, its numerator vanishes on that dense subset. The numerator's zero set is closed, so it vanishes everywhere on $X$ and is zero in the reduced coordinate ring. ThusIn particular $A\to S^{-1}A$ is canonically injective: $a/1=0$ implies $sa=0$ for some non-zero-divisor $s$, hence $a=0$.

Finally let $Y$ be the reduced closed union of exactly those irreducible components of $X$ which contain $P$. Removing all the other components gives an open neighbourhood of $P$ on which $X$ and $Y$ coincide, including their structure sheaves. Hence ${\mathcal{O}}_{X,P}\cong {\mathcal{O}}_{Y,P}$. Write $B=k[Y]$ and let ${\mathfrak{n}}_P$ be its maximal ideal at $P$. Every minimal prime of $B$ is contained in ${\mathfrak{n}}_P$, because every component of $Y$ contains $P$. If $b\notin {\mathfrak{n}}_P$, it avoids each such prime and is a non-zero-divisor. Therefore the map of localizationsis defined and injective: if its value is zero, a non-zero-divisor annihilates $a$, so $a=0$. We obtain the desired local ring embeds in rational functions on incident components:At an intersection point one must retain all incident components. For example, the local ring of $V(xy)$ at the origin has two nonzero germs $x,y$ with $xy=0$; it cannot embed into the function field of just one of its axes.

A rational map $V⇢{\mathbb{P}}^m$ is a morphism on a nonempty open subset of $V$, with two descriptions identified if they agree on a dense open subset. It can be represented there by rational homogeneous coordinate functions not all zero. A point is regular for the map if it extends as a morphism on an open neighbourhood of that point.

For the given projective Cremona transformation, the three products vanish simultaneously exactly at the three coordinate vertices. Away from them they define a regular map. At $(1:0:0)$ consider $[1:t:st]$ as $t\to 0$, with $s\ne 0$. Its image tends to $[0:s:1]$, which depends on $s$. No regular extension could have these different limiting values. Algebraically these curves lie in its domain for $t\ne 0$ and a regular extension must give the same specialization at their common vertex, so the obstruction also works over any infinite characteristic-zero field. The other vertices follow by cyclic symmetry. On the torus $X_0{X}_1{X}_2\ne 0$, applying the map twice givesIt is therefore a birational map and is its own rational inverse.

Use coordinates $[A:B:C]$ on the target. Substitution in the quintic givesThus on the torus its image is the plane quartic $Q=0$. This quartic is nonsingular even over the algebraic closure. Its partial derivatives are $C^3+3A^{2}B$, $A^3+3B^{2}C$ and $3A{C}^2+B^3$. If one coordinate vanishes at a common zero of these partials, all vanish. If none vanishes, multiplying the three equations gives $A^3{B}^3{C}^3=-27A^3{B}^3{C}^3$, impossible in characteristic zero. Hence there is no projective singular point.

A smooth plane curve is geometrically irreducible: if it had two positive-degree components, Bézout theorem over the algebraic closure would give an intersection point, and the product equation has zero gradient there; a repeated factor also makes the gradient vanish along its component. Therefore this quartic is irreducible. Its torus part is dense and is identified by the projective Cremona transformation with the torus part of $V$. No coordinate line is a component of $V$, since restricting $F$ to each coordinate line leaves a nonzero monomial. Consequently every component meets the torus, and its torus part is already irreducible. $V$ is irreducible and birational to the nonsingular quartic $A{C}^3+A^{3}B+B^{3}C=0$.

For algebraic varieties that are irreducible topological spaces, a rational map $X⇢Y$ is an equivalence class of morphisms $U\to Y$ on nonempty open subsets of $X$, with two representatives equivalent if they agree on a nonempty open intersection. Such subsets are dense. A birational map has a rational inverse; equivalently it restricts to an isomorphism between dense open subsets. In function field language it induces an isomorphism $k(Y)\cong k(X)$ over the ground field.

Work over the usual algebraically closed ground field of characteristic zero. Away from $x=0$, a line of slope $t=y/x$ through the singular point meets the curve with $t^2=x-1$. ThusSubstitution verifies the defining equation. On $x\ne 0$ and $t^2+1\ne 0$, the two maps are inverse morphisms, so this is a birational map to ${\mathbb{A}}^1$. The two parameters $t=\pm i$ both map to the node $(0,0)$, explaining why the globally defined parametrization is not a global isomorphism.