Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2017 / ii / Paper 1 / 24I (Algebraic Geometry)

A morphism of algebraic varieties is a map regular in local affine coordinates: for each point of the source, choose affine charts containing it and its image, and require each target coordinate to pull back locally to a quotient of polynomials with a denominator nonzero at that point. The map is continuous in the Zariski topology and pulls back regular functions on every target open set to regular functions on its inverse image.

Equivalently, one can take Zariski continuity and this local regular-function pullback property as the definition. In particular, a morphism between affine varieties is specified by globally regular coordinate functions, with values satisfying the defining equations of the target. Being an arbitrary set-theoretic function, or being merely Zariski continuous, is not sufficient.

Let $A=A(X)=k[x_1,\dots ,x_m]/I(X)$. Polynomial restrictions are regular functions, and a restriction is zero precisely when its class in the coordinate ring is zero. We prove surjectivity.

Using the usual irreducible-variety convention, view a regular function $f$ as an element of the fraction field of $A$. On a neighbourhood of every point it has the form $a/b$, where $a,b\in A$ and $b$ does not vanish at that point. Equality on a nonempty open subset of the irreducible variety is equality of rational functions. DefineThis is an ideal and contains a denominator nonzero at each point. Thus its zero locus is empty. The Hilbert Nullstellensatz implies $J=A$, so $1\in J$ and $f\in A$. ThereforeThe result also holds under a convention allowing reduced reducible affine varieties. One may cover by finitely many principal opens $D(b_i)$, represent $f$ in each localization, and increase powers until the local representatives glue after clearing denominators. Since these opens cover, the ideal generated by those powers is the unit ideal by the Nullstellensatz; a unit linear combination glues their numerators to one element of $A$. Irreducibility is used only for the shorter fraction-field proof, not for the assertion itself.

An isomorphism $\varphi :X\to Y$ of affine varieties and its inverse $\psi$ pull regular functions back to regular functions. By the preceding identification this gives k-algebra homomorphismsThey preserve sums, products, and every constant in $k$. Contravariance of pullback and $\psi \circ \varphi ={\mathrm{id}}_X$, $\varphi \circ \psi ={\mathrm{id}}_Y$ give ${\varphi }^{\ast }{\psi }^{\ast }={\mathrm{id}}_{A(X)}$ and ${\psi }^{\ast }{\varphi }^{\ast }={\mathrm{id}}_{A(Y)}$. Hence

The semicubical parabola has coordinate ringunder $x\mapsto t^3$, $y\mapsto t^2$. The isomorphism is valid in every characteristic: after division by the monic polynomial in $x$, a remainder $P(y)+xQ(y)$ maps to a sum of distinct even powers and odd powers at least three, and can vanish only when both polynomials are zero.

Its fraction field contains $t=t^3/t^2$, which is an integral element over $A$ because it satisfies $z^2-y=0$. However $t\notin A$, since a polynomial in $t^2,t^3$ has no term of degree one. Thus $A$ is not an integrally closed domain. The ring $k[t]$ of the affine line is a principal ideal domain and therefore an integrally closed domain. This property is preserved by ring isomorphism. By coordinate-ring functoriality,The parametrization is a bijection on points over an algebraically closed field, but that does not make its inverse a morphism at the cusp.