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Let $W$ be an integral effective Cartier divisor in an integral variety $V$ over a perfect field, and suppose $W$ is not contained in the singular locus of $V$. On a dense open subset both varieties are smooth. The Zariski tangent space of $W$ there has codimension one in that of $V$, so the differential of the local defining equation is nonzero. Thus the conormal sheaf map is injective generically. Its kernel is a subsheaf of a line bundle on the integral variety $W$ and is therefore a torsion-free sheaf; generic vanishing implies zero everywhere. Right exactness is the Conormal exact sequence for Kähler differentials.

Over a perfect field $k$ of characteristic $p$, the scheme-theoretic fiber of the Absolute Frobenius morphism of ${\mathbb{A}}_k^1$ over a rational point $a$ isIts underlying space is one point, but its coordinate ring has a nonzero nilpotent element, so the fibre is a length-$p$ nonreduced scheme.

All the local fields here carry normalized discrete valuations. Write ${\mathcal{O}}_F$ for the valuation ring, ${\mathfrak{m}}_F$ for its maximal ideal, and $k_F$ for its residue field. We use the basic degree identity $[B:A]=e(B/A)f(B/A)$ for finite extensions of non-Archimedean local fields, with $e$ the ramification index and $f$ the residue degree.

First construct the maximal unramified subextension of a local field extension inside an arbitrary finite extension $L/K$. Choose a primitive element of a field extension $\bar{z}$ for the finite residue field extension $k_L/k_K$. Let $\bar{h}$ be its monic irreducible minimal polynomial of an algebraic element, of degree $f$, and lift its coefficients to obtain a monic $h\in {\mathcal{O}}_K[T]$ of the same degree. Finite finite fields are perfect fields, so ${\bar{h}}^{\prime }(\bar{z})\ne 0$. By Hensel lemma applied in $L$, there is $z\in {\mathcal{O}}_L$ reducing to $\bar{z}$ with $h(z)=0$. For $U=K(z)$ we haveEvery inequality is therefore an equality. In particular $U/K$ is unramified, $k_U=k_L$, and $h$ is the minimal polynomial of an algebraic element $z$.

If $L/K$ is unramified, then $[L:K]=f$, so this construction gives $U=L$. Taking $x=z$ supplies the required generator, and $h^{\prime }(x)$ is a unit. Conversely suppose $L=K(x)$ with $x$ integral and its monic minimal polynomial of an algebraic element $g$ satisfying $g^{\prime }(x)\notin {\mathfrak{m}}_L$. Its coefficients lie in ${\mathcal{O}}_K$, since all conjugates of an integral element are integral and $K$ is complete. In the constructed unramified extension $U$ the element $\bar{x}\in k_U=k_L$ is a simple root of $\bar{g}$. Hensel lemma in $U$ produces a root $x^{\prime }\in U$ with residue $\bar{x}$. In $L$ both $x$ and $x^{\prime }$ lift this same simple residue root, so Hensel uniqueness gives $x=x^{\prime }$. Thus $L\subseteq U\subseteq L$, proving

For lifting residue-field embeddings of unramified extensions, use the generator $z$ and polynomial $h$ just constructed when $L/K$ is unramified. Given a $k_K$-field homomorphism $\iota :k_L\to k_M$, its value $\iota (\bar{z})$ is a simple root of $\bar{h}$. Hensel lemma in $M$ produces the unique root $z^{\prime }\in {\mathcal{O}}_M$ with that residue. The assignment $z\mapsto z^{\prime }$ defines a $K$-field homomorphism $K[T]/(h)\to M$; it induces $\iota$ because $\bar{z}$ generates $k_L$. Conversely any such field homomorphism preserves the unique extended valuation, hence induces a residue field homomorphism, and its image of $z$ is uniquely forced by Hensel uniqueness. This proves the asserted bijection. The same proof only requires that $M$ be a non-Archimedean local field containing $K$ with its compatible valuation; its finiteness over $K$ is not essential.

Now set $M=L$. The finite residue field extension has exactly $f=[L:K]$ automorphisms, cyclically generated by $a\mapsto a^{|k_K|}$. Their unique lifts give $[L:K]$ automorphisms of $L$. Consequently $L/K$ is a Galois extension, and reduction identifies its Galois group with that cyclic residue Galois group. Its generator is the arithmetic Frobenius:

For the compositum, choose a uniformizer ${\pi }_M$ of the totally ramified extension $M/K$. The Eisenstein generator of a totally ramified extension characterization, proved in the next solution, says that $M=K({\pi }_M)$ and its minimal polynomial of an algebraic element is Eisenstein over ${\mathcal{O}}_K$. A uniformizer of $K$ remains a uniformizer in the unramified extension $L$. All its Eisenstein coefficient conditions therefore remain true over ${\mathcal{O}}_L$. Thus the same Eisenstein polynomial is irreducible over $L$ and generates $LM=L({\pi }_M)$ as a totally ramified extension. This proves $LM/L$ is totally ramified, of degree $[M:K]$.

Here is an explicit example showing that the converse decomposition of an arbitrary extension can fail. Take $K={\mathbb{Q}}_3$ and $L=K(i)$ with $i^2=-1$. Since $T^2+1$ is irreducible and separable modulo three, the degree and residue-degree argument above shows that $L/K$ is unramified quadratic. PutThe element $1+i$ is a unit in ${\mathcal{O}}_L$, so $T^2-3(1+i)$ is Eisenstein over $L$. Hence $[N:L]=2$, $e(N/K)=2$, and $f(N/K)=2$. Moreover $i={\alpha }^2/3-1$ gives $N=K(\alpha )$, withWe verify its Galois group, since that is what rules out a totally ramified complement. By Hensel lemma there is $r\in K$ with $r^2=-2$: the residue root $1$ of $T^2+2$ is simple modulo three. Set $\beta =(1+i)/r$. ThenThe assignments $\sigma (i)=-i$ and $\sigma (\alpha )=\beta \alpha$ respect the defining relation, because $(\beta \alpha {)}^2=-3i(1+i)=3(1-i)$. They therefore define a $K$-automorphism of $N$. Its square satisfies ${\sigma }^2(i)=i$ and ${\sigma }^2(\alpha )=\bar{\beta }\beta \alpha =-\alpha$, so $\sigma$ has order four. There are thus four automorphisms of the degree-four extension, andThis is the cyclic quartic local extension without a totally ramified complement. Its unique quadratic subfield is $L$, fixed by ${\sigma }^2$, and is unramified. If $N=L^{\prime }{M}^{\prime }$ with $L^{\prime }/K$ unramified and $M^{\prime }/K$ totally ramified, then $[L^{\prime }:K]\le f(N/K)=2$ and $[M^{\prime }:K]\le e(N/K)=2$. To obtain the full degree four both would have degree two, forcing $M^{\prime }$ to be a totally ramified quadratic subfield. There is no such subfield. Thus $N/{\mathbb{Q}}_3$ is the required counterexample.

Write $A=kG$ and $J=J(A)$, its Jacobson radical. First suppose the characteristic is $p>0$. We prove the counting statement through the cocenter of a finite-dimensional algebrawhere $[A,A]$ is the linear span of commutators, not an ideal. In a group algebra, this span is exactly the span of differences of conjugate group elements: $gh-hg$ is such a difference, and $xg{x}^{-1}-g=[x,g{x}^{-1}]$. Consequently $C(A)$ has one basis vector for each conjugacy class.

There is a well-defined Frobenius map on an algebra cocenterHere $F$ is additive and $F(c[a])=c^{p}F([a])$. To prove additivity, expand $(a+b{)}^p$ into words of length $p$. Cyclic rotations of a word are equal modulo commutators. Every nonconstant word has a rotation orbit of length $p$, so its orbit contributes zero; only $a^p,b^p$ remain. Alsobecause the two products are cyclic rotations. Additivity then shows that the whole commutator subspace maps to zero, proving well-definedness on the quotient.

Let $s$ be the number of simple modules up to isomorphism. The semisimple algebra $A/J$ is ${\prod }_{\nu =1}^s{M}_{d_{\nu }}(k)$: over an algebraically closed field, a finite-dimensional division algebra is the field itself, since the minimal polynomial of any element splits into linear factors and a division algebra has no zero divisors. In a matrix algebra, the commutator subspace is precisely the traceless matrices. Off-diagonal matrix units are commutators, and $E_{ii}-E_{jj}=[E_{ij},E_{ji}]$; these span that subspace in every characteristic. ThusThe map induced by $F$ on each coordinate is $z\mapsto z^p$, since $\mathrm{tr}(B^p)=(\mathrm{tr}B{)}^p$. This is bijective because $k$ is a perfect field.

The natural surjection $C(A)\twoheadrightarrow C(A/J)$ has kernel $(J+[A,A])/[A,A]$. Every kernel class has a representative in $J$. Since $J$ is nilpotent, $F^N$ kills that kernel for sufficiently large $N$. On the quotient it remains bijective, so its image has dimension exactly $s$. On the conjugacy-class basis, however,For large $N$, every $g^{p^N}$ is a p-regular element; moreover the $p^N$-power map permutes the p-regular conjugacy classes, because an inverse exponent can be chosen modulo the prime-to-$p$ part of the exponent of $G$. The stable image therefore has precisely those conjugacy classes as its basis. Comparing dimensions provesThis argument uses dimensions of semilinear images: a bijective scalar Frobenius map preserves dimension, so the usual rank count applies.

In characteristic zero every group element is relevant. Averaging a linear projection onto a submodule over $G$ makes that projection $G$-equivariant, proving Maschke's theorem and semisimplicity of $kG$. The same matrix-algebra cocenter calculation now gives $s=\dim C(kG)$, the total number of conjugacy classes.

For the second request, $M$ is a relative projective module for $H$ when every $G$-equivariant epimorphism onto $M$ which splits after restriction to $H$ already splits over $G$. Equivalently $M$ is a direct summand of $kG{\otimes }_{kH}M$, the induced representation of the restriction of a representation to $H$. We can verify the defining splitting property directly: if $q:N\twoheadrightarrow M$ has an $H$-linear section $u$, choose representatives $T$ of the left cosets $G/H$ and setThe sum is independent of representatives by $H$-linearity. Reindexing $gt=t^{\prime }h$ proves $G$-linearity, while $qv(m)=[G:H{]}^{-1}{\sum }_{t}m=m$. Hence every $M$ is relatively $H$-projective when the index is invertible in $k$.

For completeness the canonical induced-module epimorphism $\epsilon (g\otimes m)=gm$ has the explicit $G$-linear sectionIt exhibits the promised direct summand and is the projectivity detected on a subgroup of invertible index construction.

Work on affine open subsets. Their coordinate rings are Noetherian rings and integrally closed domains. At a prime ideal of height of a prime ideal one, the local ring is a one-dimensional Noetherian local ring which is an integrally closed domain, hence a discrete valuation ring and therefore a regular local ring. At the generic point the local ring is a field, hence a regular local ring. For a brief justification of the one-dimensional local ring fact, take $0\ne a\in \mathfrak{m}$ in a one-dimensional Noetherian local ring $R$ which is an integrally closed domain. Some ${\mathfrak{m}}^n\subset (a)$; choose the least such $n$, and choose $b\in {\mathfrak{m}}^{n-1}\setminus (a)$. Then $q=b/a\notin R$, but $q\mathfrak{m}\subset R$. If $q\mathfrak{m}\subset \mathfrak{m}$, the determinant trick applied to the finitely generated faithful module $\mathfrak{m}$ would make $q$ integral over $R$, a contradiction. Hence the ideal $q\mathfrak{m}$ contains a unit and equals $R$. Thus $\mathfrak{m}=q^{-1}R$ is principal. A one-dimensional Noetherian local ring with principal maximal ideal is a discrete valuation ring. Therefore a normal variety is regular in codimension one.

The ground field is an algebraically closed field, hence a perfect field, so having a regular local ring is equivalent to being a smooth point of a variety here. Moreover, the smooth locus of a variety is open, making the singular locus closed. If an irreducible component of the singular locus had algebraic codimension zero or one, its generic point would have a regular local ring by the preceding argument, a contradiction. Consequently every such component has algebraic codimension at least two.

One can read the numerical bound directly from chains of prime ideals, without identifying algebraic dimension with transcendence degree. For a prime ideal $P$ of height of a prime ideal at least two in an affine chart, append a chain $(0)⊊P_1⊊P$ below any chain in the quotient by $P$. Its length increases by two. Thus $\dim A/P\le \dim A-2$. Since a nonempty affine open subset of the irreducible variety $X$ has algebraic dimension $d$,For $d=0$ or $1$, this means the singular locus is empty; take $\dim \varnothing =-\infty$.

The splitting field of $f\in K[t]$ is the smallest extension $L/K$ in which $f$ is a product of linear factors; equivalently, $L$ is generated over $K$ by all its roots of a polynomial. To prove existence and uniqueness of splitting fields, adjoin a root of an irreducible polynomial dividing $f$ and repeat until $f$ splits. If $L$ and $L^{\prime }$ are two resulting fields, an embedding between the fields generated so far extends by sending each newly adjoined root to a root of its transformed minimal polynomial. Repetition gives a $K$-embedding $L\to L^{\prime }$, whose image contains every root of $f$ and is therefore all of $L^{\prime }$. Thus the splitting field exists and is unique up to $K$-isomorphism.

Now write $K={\mathbb{F}}_q$, and let the distinct irreducible factors of $f$ have degrees $d_1,\dots ,d_r$. The irreducible factors of a finite-field Frobenius polynomial show that a root of the degree-$d_i$ factor lies in ${\mathbb{F}}_{q^n}$ exactly when $d_i\mid n$. Hence the splitting field over a finite field isEvery finite field is a perfect field, so $L/K$ is separable; it is normal because it is a splitting field. It is consequently a Galois extension. More explicitly, the Galois group of a finite field extension is the cyclic group of order $m$ generated by the finite-field Frobenius automorphism $x\mapsto x^q$.

Finally, let $N_2(n)$ denote the number of monic irreducible polynomials over a finite field of degree $n$ over ${\mathbb{F}}_2$. Sinceand $\mu (1)=1$, $\mu (3)=-1$, $\mu (9)=0$, we obtain

For an affine variety $X\subseteq {\mathbb{A}}_k^n$ with vanishing ideal $I(X)$, its Zariski tangent space at $p$ isThe dimension from minimum tangent dimension is

Now let $X=Z(f)$ with $f$ irreducible. The Strong Hilbert Nullstellensatz gives $I(X)=(f)$, soIts dimension is at least $n-1$, and it is exactly $n-1$ wherever $\nabla f(p)\ne 0$.

It remains to find such a point in positive characteristic $q$. If every partial derivative of $f$ were the zero polynomial, every exponent occurring in $f$ would be divisible by $q$. Since the algebraically closed field $k$ is perfect, all coefficients have $q$th roots and $f$ would be a $q$th power, contradicting irreducibility. Thus some partial derivative $f_{x_i}$ is nonzero. If the gradient nevertheless vanished at every point of $Z(f)$, the Nullstellensatz would imply $f_{x_i}\in (f)$. This is impossible because $0\le \mathrm{deg}{f}_{x_i}<\mathrm{deg}f$. The smooth point on an irreducible hypersurface in positive characteristic therefore exists, and

For $a\in k$ and each $n$, choose a lift $x_n\in {\mathcal{O}}_K$ of the unique $p^n$th root $a^{p^{-n}}$, which exists because $k$ is a perfect field. DefineChanging $x_n$ by an element of the maximal ideal changes its $p^n$th power by an element whose valuation tends to infinity, so the limit exists and is independent of all choices. In characteristic $p$, the Frobenius endomorphism satisfies $(x+y{)}^{p^n}=x^{p^n}+y^{p^n}$, making $[\cdot ]$ a ring homomorphism lifting the identity on $k$. If $s:k\to {\mathcal{O}}_K$ is any other such section, thenfor every $n$, and the same limiting construction forces $s(a)=[a]$. This proves uniqueness of the Teichmuller lift.

Choose a uniformizer $t$. Repeatedly subtracting the lift of the residue and dividing by $t$ gives every $x\in {\mathcal{O}}_K$ a unique convergent Teichmuller expansionBecause the lift is a ring map, this identifies ${\mathcal{O}}_K$ with $k[[t]]$ and its fraction field with the Laurent series field $k((t))$. This is the equal-characteristic complete discretely valued field classification.

If $K$ is locally compact, its compact valuation ring has only finitely many disjoint residue-class balls. Thus $k$ is finite, as also follows from the local compactness criterion for a complete non-Archimedean field.

For a finite extension $L/K$ of local fields, let $e=e(L/K)$ be its ramification index and $f=f(L/K)=[k_L:k_K]$ its residue-field degree. An unramified extension has $e=1$. A totally ramified extension has $e=[L:K]$, equivalently $f=1$. A tamely ramified extension has separable residue extension and ramification index coprime to the residue characteristic.

Let $\bar{\theta }$ generate the finite extension $k_L/k_K$, and let $\bar{g}$ be its minimal polynomial. Lift $\bar{g}$ to a monic $g\in {\mathcal{O}}_K[X]$ and choose any lift $t\in {\mathcal{O}}_L$ of $\bar{\theta }$. Since finite fields are perfect fields, ${\bar{g}}^{\prime }(\bar{\theta })\ne 0$. The simple-root form of Hensel lemma, applied inside $L$, gives $\theta \in {\mathcal{O}}_L$ withSet $K_0=K(\theta )$. Its residue field contains $k_K(\bar{\theta })=k_L$, soThe equation $g(\theta )=0$ gives the reverse inequality. Thus $[K_0:K]=f$, its residue-field degree is $f$, and $e(K_0/K)=1$; hence $K_0/K$ is unramified. Since $k_{K_0}=k_L$, the extension $L/K_0$ has residue-field degree one and is totally ramified. This constructs the maximal unramified subextension of a local field extension.

Because $k$ is a perfect field, for each $a\in k$ choose a compatible sequenceand choose arbitrary lifts $x_n\in {\mathcal{O}}_K$ of $a_n$. If $u\equiv v(\mathrm{mod}{\pi }^m)$, the binomial theorem and the fact that the residue characteristic is $p$ giveIt follows that $x_{n+1}^{p^{n+1}}\equiv x_n^{p^n}(\mathrm{mod}{\pi }^{n+1})$. Thus $(x_n^{p^n})$ is Cauchy, and completeness definesThe same congruence shows that the limit is independent of all lift choices. Taking products before passing to the limit proves $[ab]=[a][b]$, and reduction gives $[a]\equiv a(\mathrm{mod}\pi )$.

For uniqueness, let $s,t:k\to {\mathcal{O}}_K$ be two multiplicative lifts. Given $a$ and any $n$, choose $b\in k$ with $b^{p^n}=a$. Since $s(b)\equiv t(b)(\mathrm{mod}\pi )$, repeated powering yieldsCompleteness and separation force $s(a)=t(a)$. This is the unique Teichmuller lift.

For $x\in {\mathcal{O}}_K$, let $a_0$ be its residue and put $x_1=(x-[a_0])/\pi$. Repeat with $x_1,x_2,\dots$. Induction givesThe remainder tends to zero, proving the Teichmuller expansionReduction after subtracting successive partial sums also proves uniqueness of the digits.

The closed subset of points where an algebraic variety is not smooth. Over a perfect field it is equivalently the locus whose local rings are not regular local rings. A normal variety has no singular points in codimension zero or one.

Over a perfect field, a point of an algebraic variety is smooth exactly when its local ring is a regular local ring. The smooth locus of a variety is open; its closed complement is the singular locus.

Over a perfect field, a point of a variety is smooth when its local ring is a regular local ring. For an irreducible variety of dimension $n$ at a closed point, this is equivalent to its Zariski tangent space having dimension $n$. The Jacobian criterion expresses the equality as a matrix-rank condition.

If $K$ is a complete discretely valued field whose residue field $k$ is a perfect field, and $\pi$ is a uniformizer, the multiplicative Teichmuller lift $[\cdot ]:k\to {\mathcal{O}}_K$ gives each $x\in {\mathcal{O}}_K$ a unique expansion