Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2019 / iii / Paper 113 (Algebraic Geometry)

Write the affine scheme as $U=\mathrm{Spec}B$. A point $x\in U$ corresponds to a prime ideal $\mathfrak{p}\subset B$, and its local ring is ${\mathcal{O}}_{X,x}\cong B_{\mathfrak{p}}$ with maximal ideal $\mathfrak{p}{B}_{\mathfrak{p}}$. HenceThe last condition defines the principal open subscheme $D(\bar{f})$, soEvery point of the scheme $X$ has such an affine neighbourhood. Thus $X_f$ is locally open, and hence is open in the Zariski topology.

Choose an open cover of $X$ by affine opens $U_i=\mathrm{Spec}{B}_i$. Since $X$ is a quasi-compact topological space, finitely many suffice. Let $f_i,a_i\in B_i$ be the restrictions of $f,a$. Part (a) identifies $U_i\cap X_f$ with $D(f_i)$, whose ring of regular functions is the localization of a ring $(B_i{)}_{f_i}$. The vanishing of $a$ there meansso $f_i^{n_i}{a}_i=0$ for some $n_i\ge 0$. Taking $n>0$ at least as large as every $n_i$ gives $(f^{n}a){|}_{U_i}=0$ on every member of the finite cover. The local identity axiom for the sheaf of rings ${\mathcal{O}}_X$ therefore gives

Let $X={\bigcup }_{i=1}^r{U}_i$ be the stated finite affine cover. By the description of sections on a principal open subscheme, after increasing denominators separately we may writefor some $a_i\in \Gamma (U_i,{\mathcal{O}}_X)$. Multiplying the numerators by powers of $f$ lets us use one exponent $n$ for every $i$.

On $W_{ij}=U_i\cap U_j$, the section $a_i-a_j$ vanishes after restriction to $(W_{ij}{)}_f$. Each $W_{ij}$ is quasi-compact, so part (b) supplies $m_{ij}$ with $f^{m_{ij}}(a_i-a_j)=0$ on $W_{ij}$. Choose one $m$ valid for all the finitely many pairs. The sections $f^m{a}_i$ now agree on every overlap, and the gluing axiom of a sheaf of rings produces $a\in \Gamma (X,{\mathcal{O}}_X)$ with $a{|}_{U_i}=f^m{a}_i$. On $X_f$,Thus some power of $f$ times $b$ extends to a global regular function on $X$.

Restriction and division by powers of $f$ define a natural ring homomorphismIf $\Phi (a/f^n)=0$, then $a{|}_{X_f}=0$, and part (b) gives $f^{m}a=0$ for some $m$; this is exactly the criterion that $a/f^n=0$ in the localization of a ring $A_f$. Hence $\Phi$ is injective. Given $b$ in the target, part (c) gives $f^{N}b=a{|}_{X_f}$ for some $a\in A$, so $b=\Phi (a/f^N)$. Hence $\Phi$ is surjective and

Condition (i) implies (ii) immediately by taking the open set $U=X$.

Every restriction map of the structure sheaf of a scheme is a unital ring homomorphism. Thus $p\cdot 1=0$ in $\Gamma (X,{\mathcal{O}}_X)$ implies the same identity in $\Gamma (U,{\mathcal{O}}_X)$ for every open $U$. This proves (ii)$\Rightarrow$(i), so (i) and (ii) are equivalent.

The unique structure morphism $X\to \mathrm{Spec}\mathbb{Z}$ factors through the closed subscheme $\mathrm{Spec}(\mathbb{Z}/p\mathbb{Z})$ exactly when the ideal sheaf $p{\mathcal{O}}_X$ is zero. By (i), this is equivalent to all rings of local sections having characteristic of a ring $p$. Therefore

On every open set $U$, define $F_U^{\#}(a)=a^p$. In characteristic of a ring $p$, the binomial theorem gives $(a+b{)}^p=a^p+b^p$, so these are ring homomorphisms; they commute with restrictions and hence define a morphism of sheaves of rings.

On an affine chart $\mathrm{Spec}A$, the inverse image of a prime ideal $\mathfrak{p}$ under the Frobenius endomorphism isby primality. The induced continuous map is therefore the identity. These local morphisms agree on overlaps, giving the Absolute Frobenius morphism $F_X:X\to X$. Its action on the underlying space and on every local section was prescribed, so the morphism is unique.

TakeThe global regular functions on projective space give $\Gamma (X,{\mathcal{O}}_X)={\mathbb{F}}_p$, on which the Absolute Frobenius morphism is the identity. On the standard affine line $\mathrm{Spec}{\mathbb{F}}_p[t]$, however, its map on functions is $t\mapsto t^p$, which is not surjective. Thus $F_X$ is not an isomorphism of schemes.

Choose the rational closed point $x$ given by $t=0$. The affine formula for a fibre product of schemes gives its scheme-theoretic fiber:This is the Fibre of absolute Frobenius over a rational point of the affine line: it is a one-point, length-$p$ nonreduced scheme, rather than a reduced point.

A standard sufficient hypothesis is that $X$ is both a Noetherian scheme and an integral scheme, and is regular in codimension one; in particular, a Noetherian normal scheme qualifies. A Weil divisor is then a finite sumover integral codimension-one closed subschemes $Z$. The local ring at the generic point of each $Z$ is a discrete valuation ring, so every nonzero rational function $g\in k(X{)}^{\times }$ has a principal divisorThe divisor class group is

Put $R=k[x,y,z]/(xy-z^3)$ and let $X=\mathrm{Spec}R$. The ideal $P=(x,z)$ is a height-one prime ideal, because $R/P\cong k[y]$ and $\dim R=2$. It therefore defines a prime Weil divisor $D=V(x,z)$.

Localizing at $x$ eliminates $y$, givinga unique factorization domain. The Nagata theorem for divisor class groups says that $\mathrm{Cl}(X)$ is generated by the height-one primes containing $x$. Sincethe only such prime is $P$, and hence $[D]$ generates. At the generic point of $D$, $y$ is a unit in a ring and $x=z^3/y$, so the order of vanishing is three:Thus $3[D]=0$.

This relation has exact order three. Indeed, if a principal divisor were supported on $D$, its defining rational function would be a unit on $D(x)$. The units of $R_x=k[z][x,x^{-1}]$ are precisely $c{x}^m$ with $c\in k^{\times }$ and $m\in \mathbb{Z}$, whose divisors are $3mD$. Consequentlygenerated by $[V(x,z)]$. This is the $n=3$ case of the Divisor class group of an A-type surface singularity.

First prove that $A$ is an integrally closed domain. If $u\in \mathrm{Frac}A$ is integral over $A$, then it is integral over $A_x$. Since the unique factorization domain $A_x$ is integrally closed, write $u=a/x^n$ with $a\in A$ and $n\ge 0$ minimal. If $n>0$, an integral equation for $u$ gives, after multiplication by a suitable power of $x$,Hence $a^m\in (x)$. The ideal $(x)$ is prime, so $a\in (x)$, contradicting minimality of $n$. Therefore $n=0$ and $u\in A$.

Now apply the Nagata theorem for divisor class groups. The class group of $A_x$ vanishes by the divisor-class criterion for unique factorization. Hence $\mathrm{Cl}(A)$ is generated by height-one primes that meet $\{1,x,x^2,\dots \}$. Such a prime contains $x$ and must equal $(x)$, because the Krull principal ideal theorem makes the nonzero prime $(x)$ itself height one. Its divisor class is principal, so $\mathrm{Cl}(A)=0$. A second application of the divisor-class criterion yieldsThis argument is the Nagata criterion for unique factorization domains.

Choose an ordering of the index set $I$. The degree-$q$ Čech cochain group isFor $s=(s_{i_0\cdots i_q})$, the Čech coboundary is the alternating sum of restrictionsThe identity ${\delta }^2=0$ makes this the Čech cochain complex, and the required Čech cohomology is

The cohomology of twisting sheaves on projective space isIn particular, $H^i(X,{\mathcal{O}}_X)=H^i(X,{\mathcal{O}}_X(1))=0$ for $i>0$, while $H^0(X,{\mathcal{O}}_X)=k$ and $H^0(X,{\mathcal{O}}_X(1))\cong k^{r+1}$.

Apply the long exact sequence in cohomology to the displayed Euler sequence. Its degree-zero part isand all later terms vanish. The first map sends $1$ to the tuple of homogeneous coordinates and is injective. Therefore

For the closed immersion $i:Y\hookrightarrow X$, the ideal sheaf of a closed subscheme givesBecause the projective hypersurface is cut out by one homogeneous polynomial $f$ of degree $d$, multiplication by $f$ identifiesThis is the ideal-sheaf sequence of a projective hypersurface.

Tensor the sequence from part (i) with the twisting sheaf on projective space ${\mathcal{O}}_X(n)$:Its long exact sequence in cohomology containsSince $\dim Y\ge 1$, we have $r\ge 2$, and the final group is intermediate cohomology of projective space. It vanishes by the cohomology of twisting sheaves on projective space. Hence

Set $n=0$ in part (ii). The constants give an injection $k\hookrightarrow H^0(Y,{\mathcal{O}}_Y)$ because the projective hypersurface $Y$ is nonempty, while part (ii) gives surjectivity. ThusA disconnected scheme has a nontrivial idempotent global regular function, equal to zero and one on its two clopen pieces. A field has no such idempotent, so the connectedness from global regular functions criterion gives

Use again the twisted ideal-sheaf sequence of a projective hypersurface. For $0<i<\dim Y=r-1$, the relevant part of its long exact sequence in cohomology isBoth outer terms are intermediate cohomology groups on ${\mathbb{P}}_k^r$, because $1\le i<i+1\le r-1$. They vanish by the cohomology of twisting sheaves on projective space. Therefore