Open cover

An open cover of a subset $A$ is a family of open sets whose union contains $A$.

A subcover of an open cover $\{U_i:i\in I\}$ of a subset $K$ is a selection of its members whose union still contains $K$. The selected open sets retain their original sizes; selecting a subcover does not mean replacing them by smaller open sets.

A finite subcover is a subcover with finitely many members, including possibly none when $K$ is the empty set. Requiring a finite subcover for every open cover is the definition of compactness.

An affine open cover of a scheme is an open cover by affine open subsets. Every scheme has such a cover by definition. A quasi-compact scheme has a finite affine open cover. Whether the intersections are affine is a further condition, supplied in particular by separatedness over an affine base.

An open cover is acyclic for a specified sheaf if its restriction to every nonempty finite intersection has zero higher sheaf cohomology. The acyclic cover theorem then identifies the cover's Čech cohomology with sheaf cohomology. On a separated scheme, an affine open cover is acyclic for every quasi-coherent sheaf.