Projective Nullstellensatz

Let $I\subseteq k[x_0,\dots ,x_n]$ be a homogeneous ideal over an algebraically closed field, and letbe the irrelevant ideal. Then $V_{+}(I)=\varnothing$ exactly when either $I=(1)$ or $\sqrt{I}=\mathfrak{m}$. For a proper homogeneous ideal this is also equivalent to ${\mathfrak{m}}^N\subseteq I$ for some $N$.

It is the homogeneous projective version of the Hilbert Nullstellensatz.

For homogeneous fiber equations $f_i$ of fixed degrees $d_i$ in $S=k[y_0,\dots ,y_n]$, put $S_j=0$ for $j<0$. The linear map ${\mu }_N((g_i{)}_i)={\sum }_i{g}_i{f}_i$ has image the degree-$N$ component of their homogeneous ideal. Hence it is surjective exactly when that ideal contains $(y_0,\dots ,y_n{)}^N$: the degree-$N$ monomials generate this power. In a family, the matrix entries are regular functions on the base. Failure of surjectivity is therefore a closed determinantal variety, cut out by the maximal-size matrix minors.

In the standard graded homogeneous coordinate ring $S=k[x_0,\dots ,x_n]$ of ${\mathbb{P}}^n$, the irrelevant ideal isIt vanishes only at the origin of the corresponding affine cone, which does not represent a projective point.

It is the polynomial-ring instance of the irrelevant ideal of a graded ring.