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For group homomorphisms $f,g:A\to B$, this Picard group class is symmetric and additive in both arguments. The Theorem of the Cube says precisely that the third additive difference of $h\mapsto [h^{\ast }L]$ vanishes, proving additivity of the cross-effect. The Poincaré line bundle expresses it as $(f,{\varphi }_{L}g{)}^{\ast }{P}_B$, so it depends only on the Néron-Severi group class of $L$. Its associated homomorphism is $\hat{f}{\varphi }_{L}g+\hat{g}{\varphi }_{L}f$.

For a smooth irreducible algebraic curve, send a divisor on an algebraic curve $D={\sum }_P{n}_{P}P$ to the line bundle associated to a divisor defined locally by ${\mathcal{O}}_X(D{)}_P=t_P^{-n_P}{\mathcal{O}}_{X,P}$. A nonzero rational section of a line bundle gives its inverse construction, and changing that section changes its divisor by a principal divisor. Thus the divisor class group is the Picard group. The quotient of the sheaf of nonzero rational functions on an irreducible variety by the sheaf of units of the structure sheaf has stalk $\mathbb{Z}$ at each closed point, via the discrete valuation. Its global sections are finite sums of points. The corresponding long exact sequence in sheaf cohomology, and the vanishing for the rational-function sheaf, identify both groups with $H^1(X,{\mathcal{O}}_X^{\ast })$.

The connecting homomorphism ofsends a divisor on a complex manifold $D$ to its holomorphic line bundle associated to a divisor $\mathcal{O}(D)$ in the Picard group. Its kernel consists exactly of the principal divisors of global nonzero meromorphic functions.

On a smooth projective surface, two line bundles are represented by divisors $D$ and $E$, and their intersection is the degree of the zero-cycle obtained after moving them into proper position. It is a symmetric bilinear form on the Picard group, and $D\cdot E$ equals the degree of ${\mathcal{O}}_X(D)$ restricted to $E$ when $E$ is an integral curve not contained in $D$.

For a line bundle $L$ on an abelian variety $A$, this closed subgroup consists of $a$ such that $T_a^{\ast }L\cong L$. It is a stabilizer of a Picard group class, which need not be the same as the stabilizer of an individual Weil divisor representing that class.

The Néron-Severi group is the quotient $\mathrm{Pic}(X)/{\mathrm{Pic}}^0(X)$ of the Picard group by line bundles algebraically equivalent to zero.

A very general smooth degree-$d$ surface $X\subset {\mathbb{P}}_{\mathbb{C}}^3$ with $d\ge 4$ has Picard group generated by its hyperplane class. The exceptional surfaces lie in a countable union of proper closed loci. A proof is given by Griffiths and Harris, "On the Noether-Lefschetz Theorem".

We use the basic dual isogeny identities in the endomorphism ring of an elliptic curve, extending the dual of the zero map to zero:Here $[n]$ denotes the multiplication-by-$n$ endomorphism, and the degree of the zero map is set to zero. To see the source of additivity, identify $E$ with its Picard group of degree-zero line bundles using the origin. Dualization is pullback on this group. Pullback of a degree-zero line bundle along the sum of two homomorphisms is the tensor product of its pullbacks along those homomorphisms, giving additivity; functoriality of pullback reverses composition. The last identity is the defining degree identity for a dual isogeny. Every nonzero elliptic-curve endomorphism is an isogeny.

The natural inclusion $\mathbb{Z}\hookrightarrow \mathrm{End}(E)$ remains injective even in positive characteristic: for nonzero $n$, the map $[n]$ has degree $n^2$ and is not zero. Therefore an equality of multiplication endomorphisms uniquely specifies its integer coefficient.

Let $D={\sum }_p{r}_{p}p\in X^{(d)}$. The derivative of the Abelian sum map is most naturally stated using principal parts. The tangent space of the symmetric product of a curve at $D$ is $H^0({\mathcal{O}}_D(D))$, and the tangent space of the Jacobian variety is $H^0(K_X{)}^{\ast }$. With these identifications,Its dual is restriction of holomorphic one-forms to the length-$d$ divisor scheme. In particular,The last equality is the Riemann-Roch theorem. These formulas apply to repeated points as well as distinct ones.

Here is a direct proof of the repeated-point Abel differential formula. At a multiplicity-$r$ point, choose a local coordinate $t$ with $t(p)=0$. A nearby local divisor is described by the roots $t_1,\dots ,t_r$, or, without making an ordering choice, by their elementary symmetric functions $e_1,\dots ,e_r$:These $e_k$ are smooth local coordinates on the symmetric product of a curve, including at the repeated divisor. Under a first-order deformation, minus the logarithmic variation of this defining polynomial is the principal partThe sign can be checked at $r=1$: moving the point from $0$ to $ϵa$ gives $v=a/t$, and the Abel integral changes by $a\omega (p)$.

Write $\omega =({\sum }_{j\ge 0}{c}_j{t}^j)dt$ and its local primitive as $F(t)={\sum }_{j\ge 0}{c}_j{t}^{j+1}/(j+1)$. The local contribution to the Abelian sum map is ${\sum }_{i}F(t_i)$. Newton's identities, linearized at $e_1=\cdots =e_r=0$, giveSubstituting in the primitive therefore givesSumming over the support proves the theorem. In particular, a multiplicity-$r$ point tests the first $r$ coefficients of a holomorphic one-form, not just its value. The residue pairing between principal parts of order at most $r$ and differential jets through order $r-1$ is perfect. Thus the annihilator of the derivative is precisely the holomorphic one-forms vanishing to order at least $r_p$ at every $p$, namely $H^0(K_X(-D))$.

There is also a sheaf cohomology description that explains its kernel geometrically. The sequencegives a connecting homomorphism $\delta :H^0({\mathcal{O}}_D(D))\to H^1({\mathcal{O}}_X)$. Represent a principal part by meromorphic lifts on coordinate disks; their differences on overlaps give its Čech cohomology class. Under Serre duality, pairing this class with $\omega$ is the sum of the residues of $v_p\omega$, so $\delta$ is the displayed derivative. Exactness shows that its kernel is $H^0({\mathcal{O}}_X(D))/\mathbb{C}$, of dimension $h^0({\mathcal{O}}_X(D))-1$, in agreement with the tangent directions to the complete linear system of a divisor in Solution 2.

Two consequences will be useful below. If $d\ge 2g-1$, then $K_X(-D)$ has negative degree and no nonzero sections, so $u_d$ is a submersion everywhere. Its image is open, and it is also closed because $X^{(d)}$ is compact. Since the Jacobian variety is connected, $u_d$ is surjective. Thus the points $u(p)$ generate the Jacobian variety as a group. Together with Abel's theorem, this identifies the degree-zero Picard group with the Jacobian variety: every line bundle has a meromorphic section and thus a divisor representation, injectivity is Abel's theorem, and surjectivity follows from $u_d(D)-du(p_0)$.

For $g\ge 1$, one can choose $g-1$ distinct points imposing independent conditions on $H^0(K_X)$: at each step a surviving nonzero holomorphic one-form has only finitely many zeros, so choose a point where it does not vanish. Their sum $D$ has $h^0(K_X(-D))=1$ and hence $h^0({\mathcal{O}}_X(D))=1$. The derivative has rank $g-1$ there. Consequently $W_{g-1}=u_{g-1}(X^{(g-1)})$ is an irreducible subvariety of dimension $g-1$. This also covers $g=1$, when $X^{(0)}$ and $W_0$ are points.

For a divisor on an algebraic curve $D=\sum n_{P}P$, define its line bundle associated to a divisor inside the sheaf of rational functions byLocally choose a rational equation $f_i$ for $D$, as in the construction of the quotient sheaf above. ThenConsequently this is an invertible sheaf. Multiplication gives an isomorphismas is checked on the displayed local generators. If $D=\mathrm{div}(f)$, multiplication by $f$ identifies ${\mathcal{O}}_X(D)$ with ${\mathcal{O}}_X$. Thus $D\mapsto [{\mathcal{O}}_X(D)]$ induces a group homomorphism from the divisor class group to the Picard group.

For surjectivity, let $\mathcal{L}$ be an invertible sheaf. Trivialize its one-dimensional rational fibre over the function field $k(X)$; equivalently, choose a nonzero rational section and identify $\mathcal{L}$ with a subsheaf of the rational-function sheaf. A finite trivializing cover givesOn overlaps $a_i/a_j$ is a regular unit. The integers $-v_P(a_i)$ therefore agree wherever two descriptions apply and define a finite divisor on an algebraic curve $D$. Its local description gives $\mathcal{L}={\mathcal{O}}_X(D)$. A different rational trivialization multiplies all $a_i$ by the same rational function, changing $D$ by a principal divisor, so the resulting divisor class is intrinsic.

For injectivity, an isomorphism ${\mathcal{O}}_X(D)\to {\mathcal{O}}_X(E)$ becomes multiplication by some $g\in k(X{)}^{\ast }$ on the rational fibre. At each closed point its effect on the local free generators givesHence $D-E=\mathrm{div}(g)$. Conversely this equality gives the required isomorphism by multiplication by $g$. We have proved the group isomorphism

Since $X$ is an irreducible variety, every nonempty open subset is irreducible and the sheaf of nonzero rational functions on an irreducible variety has value $k(X{)}^{\ast }$ there. All its restriction maps between nonempty opens are identities, and restriction to the empty set is surjective. Thus ${\mathcal{K}}_X^{\ast }$ is a flabby sheaf, and the introductory argument gives $H^1(X,{\mathcal{K}}_X^{\ast })=0$.

Apply the long exact sequence in sheaf cohomology to the short exact sequence of sheavesIts relevant portion isThe connecting homomorphism is therefore surjective, with kernel the image of $k(X{)}^{\ast }$. The computation in part (a) now givesConcretely, local rational equations $f_i$ of a divisor on an algebraic curve differ by regular units on overlaps. Their ratios give the gluing data of an invertible sheaf; changing the local equations by units changes those data by a coboundary. This is the transition-function interpretation of the identification with the Picard group. Reversing all transition ratios replaces a class by its inverse; either consistent convention gives the same group isomorphism.

Use projectivization by quotients, and setThe fibre over $t$ parametrizes one-dimensional quotients of $E_t$, so it is ${\mathbb{P}}^{n-1}$. The standard line bundles areThus $L$ is the fiber class of a rational normal scroll of the ruling and $M$ is the universal quotient line bundle of ${\pi }^{\ast }E$. In additive divisor notation we also write $L,M$ for their first Chern classes. For $n\ge 2$ these generate the Picard group; for $n=1$, $F={\mathbb{P}}^1$ and $M=a_{1}L$. This fixes the sign convention for the rational normal scroll.

Put $s={\sum }_i{a}_i$. The projective bundle formula for Chow groups givesHere the first relation comes from the one-dimensional base, and the second is the projective-bundle relation with $c_1(E)=sL$ and higher Chern classes zero on the base. Integration over a fibre gives $L{M}^{n-1}=1$. Therefore all top-degree mixed intersection numbers areIn particular, for integers $u,v$,For the canonical divisor of a smooth variety, the relative Euler sequencehas determinant ${\mathcal{O}}_F(nM-sL)$. Combining its dual determinant with $K_{{\mathbb{P}}^1}=-2L$ gives

A common twist does not change the abstract projective bundle. Choose an integer $b$ such that $d_i=a_i+b\ge 1$ for every $i$. The complete linear system of divisors $|M+bL|$ hasIts map to ${\mathbb{P}}^N$, where $N=s+nb+n-1$, has coordinate blocksHere $[s_0:t_0]$ is a point of the base and the ${\lambda }_i$ are quotient coordinates in a local trivialization of $E(b)$. These expressions have the correct transition factors and define the global map. Any nonzero block recovers the base point through its degree-$d_i$ rational normal curve. Once that point is known, the blocks recover the projective fibre coordinates. On the open where the first coordinate of a nonzero block is nonzero, the ratio of the next coordinate to the first recovers $t_0/s_0$; the analogous last-coordinate chart recovers $s_0/t_0$. The remaining coordinate ratios then recover the fibre coordinates regularly. Thus the map identifies $F$ with its closed image and is a projective embedding, not merely a pointwise injection.

The hyperplane class on this image is $M+bL$, soConsequently every such natural embedding hasThe tautological choice $b=0$ is an embedding when all $a_i>0$. If the $a_i$ are only nonnegative, $|M|$ is basepoint-free but can contract the projective subbundle arising from zero summands; one must distinguish that scroll image from the smooth abstract scroll.

Throughout, the braces denote a multiset, so repeated splitting degrees retain their multiplicities. If the multisets agree after a common shift, permuting summands gives $E_a\cong E_b\otimes \mathcal{O}(c)$. Tensoring all the fibres of a vector bundle by the same line bundle leaves their one-dimensional quotient spaces unchanged. HenceThis proves one implication in the isomorphism classification of abstract rational scrolls.

For the converse first take $n\ge 3$. Every divisor class on $F_a$ has the form $xL+yM$. If its square is zero, restriction to a fibre ${\mathbb{P}}^{n-1}$ giveswhere $h$ is the hyperplane class and $h^2\ne 0$ because $n-1\ge 2$. Thus $y=0$. It follows that $L$ is intrinsically characterized as the primitive nonzero nef class whose square is zero. An isomorphism $u:F_a\to F_b$ therefore carries $L_b$ to $L_a$; the sign is positive because both classes are nef and effective. The complete pencil $|L|$ determines the ruling, sofor an automorphism $\sigma$ of ${\mathbb{P}}^1$.

On a fibre, the isomorphism preserves the positive generator ${\mathcal{O}}_{{\mathbb{P}}^{n-1}}(1)$ of its Picard group. Consequentlyfor some integer $c$. Push forward along the ruling, using ${\pi }_{\ast }\mathcal{O}(M)=E$ and the projection formula for sheaves:Every automorphism of ${\mathbb{P}}^1$ preserves each $\mathcal{O}(d)$. The uniqueness of the splitting degrees in the Birkhoff–Grothendieck theorem now implies equality of the two multisets up to a shift. Replacing this $c$ by $-c$ gives the sign convention in the final formula. One can see that uniqueness numerically: for a split bundle,The first difference counts the degrees with $a_i+t\ge 0$, and the second difference counts the multiplicity of $a_i=-t$. Hence these dimensions determine every splitting degree, with multiplicity.

For $n=2$, subtract the smaller degree and write the normalized bundle as $\mathcal{O}\oplus \mathcal{O}(a)$, $a\ge 0$. Its surface is the Hirzebruch surface ${\mathbb{F}}_a$. Let $B$ be its negative section and $L$ its fibre, so $B^2=-a$, $BL=1$, $L^2=0$. The nef cone is generated by $L$ and $B+aL$: a nef divisor $xL+yB$ must have $y\ge 0$ from intersection with a fibre and $x-ay\ge 0$ from intersection with $B$, and these two inequalities also express it as a nonnegative combination of those generators. If $a>0$, a class $uL+v(B+aL)$ with $u,v\ge 0$ has squarewhich vanishes only when $v=0$. Thus the ruling is again intrinsic, and the same bundle argument applies. If $a=0$, the surface is ${\mathbb{P}}^1\times {\mathbb{P}}^1$ and has two nef square-zero rays, its two rulings. This distinguishes it from every $a>0$ surface. Isomorphisms may exchange its rulings, but both normalized splitting degrees are zero, so the stated classification is unchanged.

For $n=1$, every scroll is ${\mathbb{P}}^1$, and any two single splitting degrees differ by a common shift. Thus all ranks are covered:Reading the braces as ordinary sets would lose information and make the assertion false when degrees repeat. For example, $(0,0,1,2)$ and $(0,1,1,2)$ have the same underlying set but not the same splitting multiset; their minima are both zero, so no nonzero common shift can reconcile them.

For a complex K3 surface, $L=H^2(X,\mathbb{Z})$ is torsion-free and has its integral cup product pairingThe K3 intersection lattice isthe even unimodular integral quadratic lattice of signature $(3,19)$. Here $U$ is the hyperbolic plane with Gram matrixand $E_8(-1)$ is the negative of the positive-definite E8 lattice. Thus the rank is $3\cdot 2+2\cdot 8=22$ and the pairing has determinant of absolute value one.

These invariants can be checked from the topology and Hodge theory. The trivial canonical bundle and $H^1(X,{\mathcal{O}}_X)=0$ give $\chi ({\mathcal{O}}_X)=2$. The Noether formula gives $c_2(X)=24$, which is the topological Euler characteristic. Since $X$ is simply connected, $b_1=b_3=0$, so $24=2+b_2$ and $b_2=22$. Integral Poincare duality gives unimodularity; the universal coefficient sequence and $H_1(X,\mathbb{Z})=0$ give torsion-freeness of $H^2(X,\mathbb{Z})$.

Its second Stiefel–Whitney class is the reduction modulo two of $c_1(X)$, hence zero. The characteristic-class identitymakes the lattice even. Finally the real and imaginary parts of a holomorphic two-form give two positive directions, a Kähler class gives a third, and the primitive real $(1,1)$ classes are negative definite by the Hodge–Riemann bilinear relations. Therefore the signature is $(3,19)$. The classification of indefinite even unimodular lattices then identifies the displayed lattice uniquely. In particular the Picard group is only the integral $(1,1)$ part; it should not be confused with this rank-twenty-two topological lattice.

Let $X$ be a smooth projective curve over $\mathbb{C}$, let $D={\sum }_p{m}_{p}p$ be an effective divisor on an algebraic curve of degree $d$, and identify a translate of the Jacobian variety with ${\mathrm{Pic}}^d(X)$. The precise derivative theorem iswhere ${\delta }_D$ is the connecting homomorphism ofThe target is $T_{u_d(D)}\mathrm{Jac}(X)=H^1(X,{\mathcal{O}}_X)=H^0(X,K_X{)}^{\ast }$ under Serre duality. Its dual is restriction of holomorphic differential forms to the length-$d$ closed subscheme $D$:In particular, this includes derivatives of the local coefficients at repeated points, rather than simply evaluating once for each point of the support.

Here is a local proof of all these identifications. Near a point of multiplicity $m$, take a coordinate $z$ vanishing at that point. Nearby effective divisors are represented by monic polynomials of degree $m$. A first-order deformation has equationThese coefficients are the elementary symmetric coordinates on the symmetric product of a curve; they give $m$ independent tangent directions even at a repeated point. Dividing the variation of the equation by the original equation identifies the tangent direction with the principal part $v(z)/z^m$. Doing this at each point gives $H^0({\mathcal{O}}_D(D))$, a space of dimension $d$.

To see the derivative of the line bundle directly, use the local frame $1/(z^m-\epsilon v)$ for ${\mathcal{O}}_X(D_{\epsilon })$ and the frame $1$ outside the small disks. Relative to the frame $1/z^m$ at $\epsilon =0$, its transition multiplier changes byFirst-order changes of line bundle transition functions have the form $1+\epsilon c_{ij}$; changing frames adds a Čech coboundary. Thus the tangent space to the Picard group is $H^1({\mathcal{O}}_X)$, and the derivative is exactly the Čech cocycle of these principal parts, namely ${\delta }_D$.

This agrees with differentiating the Abel integrals, including the sign. If $\omega =f(z)dz$ and $F^{\prime }=f$, the sum of $F$ at the roots of $z^m-\epsilon v$ has derivativeFor example, expand $F={\sum }_{k\ge 1}{f}_{k-1}{z}^k/k$. The first-order Newton identities give ${\partial }_{\epsilon }\sum z_i^k=k{v}_{m-k}$ for $1\le k\le m$, and zero for $k>m$, yielding exactly the residue above. Equivalently the same formula follows by differentiating the contour integral for the sum over roots. Serre duality pairs the principal part class with $\omega$ by the sum of these residues. Locally this pairing is perfect between the principal parts $z^{-1},\dots ,z^{-m}$ and the jets $1,z,\dots ,z^{m-1}$ times $dz$. This proves the asserted dual restriction map.

The long exact sequence in sheaf cohomology now gives the kernel and rank without any reduced-support assumption:By duality,This is the geometric form of the derivative of the Abelian sum map. For distinct points, the image is spanned by the evaluation vectors of the canonical map; at repeated points, the corresponding osculating directions must also be included. The Riemann-Roch theorem confirms the rank as $g-h^0(K_X(-D))$. When $h^0(D)=1$, the Abelian sum map is an immersion at $D$. For $d=g-1$ and $h^0(D)=1$, its image is a hyperplane annihilated by the unique nonzero holomorphic differential form vanishing along $D$, which will be the tangent hyperplane to the theta divisor.

Use the quotient convention for projective space. To a scheme $T$, associate the set of pairswhere $\mathcal{L}$ is a line bundle, modulo isomorphisms $\mathcal{L}\to {\mathcal{L}}^{\prime }$ carrying $q$ to $q^{\prime }$. Pullback defines the contravariant functor. On $T=\mathrm{Spec}A$, this means rank-one projective module quotients of $A^{n+1}$; the quotient need not be free. Thus merely listing generating tuples modulo multiplication by a unit would omit points over rings with nontrivial Picard group.

This functor is represented by ${\mathbb{P}}_{\mathbb{Z}}^n$. For each $i$, the locus where $q(e_i)$ generates $\mathcal{L}$ is open. These loci cover $T$, since a surjection onto a rank-one free stalk must have some coefficient a unit in its local ring. On this locus, trivialize by $q(e_i)$ and writeThese functions specify a map to the standard chart $U_i=\mathrm{Spec}\mathbb{Z}[t_j:j\ne i]$. Their transition rules are exactly those of projective space, so the chart maps glue. Conversely the universal quotient on projective space pulls back to the given pair, and the construction is natural and unique. This proves that projective space represents invertible quotients.

Write its universal exact sequence asA first-order change of the quotient, with target trivialized locally, is a map $\delta q:V\otimes \mathcal{O}\to \mathcal{O}(1)$. Changing the target trivialization by $1+\epsilon h$ changes $\delta q$ by $hq$. Restriction to $\mathcal{K}$ removes this ambiguity, and every local map $\mathcal{K}\to \mathcal{O}(1)$ extends because the displayed sequence splits locally. Consequently the tangent sheaf of a scheme isThis identification can also be seen on $U_i$: the first-order change of $t_j$ is $\delta q(e_j)-t_j\delta q(e_i)$ after setting $q(e_i)=1$. Thus these maps are precisely the coordinate tangent directions.

Apply $\mathcal{H}om(-,\mathcal{O}(1))$ to the universal sequence. Since its terms are locally free and it splits locally, this gives the Euler sequenceIt remains exact after any base change. Taking its dual of a sheaf over a field $k$ givesFor $n=1$, the first term has rank one; taking determinants yieldsExplicitly, for $u=t^{-1}$ on the overlap of the two affine charts, $du=-t^{-2}dt$, the same transition as $\mathcal{O}(-2)$ after changing one local frame's sign.

We take $d\in {\mathbb{Q}}^{\times }$, as required for this rational elliptic curve. The tangent at $O=(1:-1:0)$ is $X+Y=0$. Its intersection with the curve has $d{Z}^3=0$, so it meets the curve three times at $O$: the identity is an inflection point of a plane cubic.

For $P,Q$, let their chord meet the diagonal cubic elliptic curve at the third point $R$, using the tangent if $P=Q$ and counting intersection multiplicities. Then join $R$ to $O$ and take the third intersection $S$. Define $P+Q=S$. Equivalently, three collinear intersection points satisfy $P+Q+R=O$.

Here inversion has the particularly simple formIndeed $P$, its displayed inverse, and $O$ lie on the same line, since swapping $X,Y$ preserves both the curve and $X+Y$. Thus addition is the chord or tangent operation followed by swapping the first two coordinates. The rule includes limiting cases involving $O$ and repeated intersections. Its associativity follows from the elliptic curve group law from Riemann-Roch: the identification $P\mapsto [P-O]$ with the degree-zero Picard group turns the line-intersection Weil divisor relation into addition of divisor classes. Since a line cuts a Weil divisor linearly equivalent to $3O$, that relation is exactly the chord rule just described.

The Noether–Lefschetz theorem says that a very general smooth degree-$d$ surface in ${\mathbb{P}}_{\mathbb{C}}^3$, for $d\ge 4$, has Picard group freely generated by its hyperplane class $H$. Here very general means outside a countable union of proper closed loci in the parameter space of surfaces.

If such a surface contained a smooth rational curve $C$, its divisor class would be $mH$ for an integer $m$. Since $H\cdot C=md>0$, one has $m>0$ and therefore $C^2=m^{2}d>0$. Part (a), however, gives $C^2=-2-(d-4)\mathrm{deg}C\le -2$, a contradiction. Thus a very general surface of degree at least four has no smooth rational curve. The statement concerns smooth embedded curves; a singular curve can still have rational normalization.

Let $K=Q(A)$ be the fraction field of the integral domain $A$. The Picard group of a ring consists of isomorphism classes of finitely generated projective modules that have rank one after localization at every prime ideal. Its product is induced by the tensor product of modules, its identity is $[A]$, and the inverse of $[L]$ is $[L^{\vee }]$, where $L^{\vee }={\mathrm{Hom}}_A(L,A)$. Evaluation $L{\otimes }_A{L}^{\vee }\to A$ is an isomorphism: after localization it is evaluation on a free rank-one module, and a map whose kernel and cokernel vanish at every prime is an isomorphism.

An invertible fractional ideal is a nonzero finitely generated $A$-submodule $I\subseteq K$ admitting another fractional ideal $J$ with $IJ=A$. The Cartier divisors of $\mathrm{Spec}A$ can be represented by these ideals. Concretely a Cartier divisor has local nonzero rational equations $f_i$ on a cover by distinguished open sets, with $f_i/f_j$ a regular unit on each overlap. We use the convention assigning to it $\mathcal{O}(-D)$, whose local fractional ideals are $f_i{A}_{s_i}$. Their unit ratios make these modules agree on overlaps. Thus the Cartier divisor group $\mathrm{Cart}(A)$ is realized by invertible fractional ideals with multiplication. The identity is $A$ and a principal Cartier divisor of $f\in K^{\times }$ corresponds to $fA$.

To check explicitly that local divisor data give an invertible fractional ideal, set $I={\bigcap }_i{f}_i{A}_{s_i}\subseteq K$. Take a finite distinguished-open cover; this is possible because an affine spectrum is quasi-compact. On an overlap, $f_i/f_j\in A_{s_i{s}_j}$. For each fixed $i$, clear the powers of $s_i$ in these finitely many expressions: there is $N_i$ with $s_i^{N_i}{f}_i\in f_j{A}_{s_j}$ for every $j$. Thus $t_i=s_i^{N_i}{f}_i$ belongs to $I$, and $I_{s_i}=f_i{A}_{s_i}$. The finite module $J={\sum }_{i}A{t}_i$ has the same localizations, so $I/J$ vanishes on the cover and $I=J$. Repeating with $f_i^{-1}$ gives a finitely generated fractional ideal $I^{\prime }$ with $I_{s_i}^{\prime }=f_i^{-1}{A}_{s_i}$. Therefore $I{I}^{\prime }$ is contained in $A$ and equals $A$ after localization on the cover, whence $I{I}^{\prime }=A$. These conclusions use the elementary localization test proved below. Conversely, the next argument constructs precisely such a finite principal cover from an inverse ideal. Thus the local-divisor and ideal descriptions agree, without assuming that $A$ is Noetherian.

Here is the algebra underlying that realization and the map to the Picard group. If $IJ=A$, write $1={\sum }_{i=1}^r{u}_i{v}_i$, with $u_i\in I$ and $v_i\in J$. On the distinguished open where $s_i=u_i{v}_i$ is invertible, $I_{s_i}=u_i{A}_{s_i}$: for any $x\in I$, the expressionis in $A_{s_i}$. These open sets cover the spectrum because $\sum s_i=1$. The generators on overlaps differ by units. Moreover the maps ${\varphi }_i:I\to A$, ${\varphi }_i(x)=v_{i}x$, satisfy $x=\sum u_i{\varphi }_i(x)$. Consequently the compositeis the identity. This explicitly makes $I$ a direct summand of a finite free module, and hence a projective module, with rank one locally.

Its inverse isThe inclusion $J\subseteq I^{-1}$ follows from $IJ=A$. For the other inclusion, $v\in I^{-1}$ gives $v=\sum (v{u}_i)v_i\in J$. Local multiplication is an isomorphism between free rank-one modules, so multiplication $I{\otimes }_{A}J\to IJ$ is an isomorphism. In particular $I\mapsto [I]$ respects the group laws.

Conversely, suppose $L$ is a finitely generated projective module of rank one. It is a direct summand of a finite free module, so it is torsion-free and injects into $L{\otimes }_{A}K$. The latter is a one-dimensional $K$-space. Choose a basis to identify it with $K$, and let $I$ be the image of $L$. Its finitely many generators have a common nonzero denominator, making $I$ a fractional ideal. Every $A$-linear map $I\to A$ extends to a $K$-linear map $K\to K$, which is multiplication by some $v\in K$. Thus $I^{\vee }$ identifies with $I^{-1}$. Evaluation is an isomorphism locally, so its image ideal $I{I}^{-1}$ localizes to $A_{\mathfrak{p}}$ at every prime. A proper ideal would be contained in a maximal ideal, contradicting that localization; hence $I{I}^{-1}=A$. This proves that every Picard group class has an invertible fractional ideal representative, and also that locally principal fractional ideals on a finite open cover are invertible.

For completeness, these local tests do detect a zero module without a finite-generation assumption. If $0\ne x\in N$, its annihilator is proper; choose a maximal ideal containing it. Then $x/1$ is nonzero in that localization, since any denominator killing $x$ would belong to its annihilator. Applying this observation to a kernel and cokernel justifies the local isomorphism tests above.

The natural maps in the Cartier divisor exact sequence for an integral domain are nowThe first map is injective. The ideal $fA$ is the identity divisor $A$ precisely when $f$ and $f^{-1}$ lie in $A$, that is, precisely when $f\in A^{\times }$. Next $[I]=[A]$ precisely when some isomorphism $A\to I$ sends $1$ to an element $f\in K^{\times }$ generating $I$, so $I=fA$. Finally the construction from $L$ proves surjectivity onto the Picard group. We have therefore checked exactness at every term:No Noetherian, normality or factoriality hypothesis is required.