Serre duality

For a smooth projective $n$-dimensional variety $X$ over a field and a coherent sheaf $\mathcal{F}$, Serre duality gives a perfect pairing between $H^q(X,\mathcal{F})$ and ${\mathrm{Ext}}^{n-q}(\mathcal{F},{\omega }_X)$, where ${\omega }_X$ is the canonical sheaf.

For vector bundles on a smooth projective curve, a dualizing sheaf is a line bundle $D_C$ with a trace $H^1(C,D_C)\to k$ making the evaluation pairings $H^i(C,E)\times H^{1-i}(C,E^{\vee }\otimes D_C)\to k$ perfect for $i=0,1$. Choose a finite generically separable map to the projective line. The trace-dual module for this finite map, tensored with ${\Omega }_{{\mathbb{P}}^1}^1$, is ${\Omega }_C^1$ by the different–differential identity. Finite pushforward and residue duality on the projective line then prove the pairings, rather than assuming the curve-duality theorem to establish them.

Use the rational principal-parts resolution on an algebraic curve to represent a class by finitely many rational differential principal parts. Sum their algebraic residues of a rational differential. The sum of residues of a global rational differential is zero: trace to the projective line, where partial fractions prove the assertion. Hence the sum descends to cohomology. Pairing an invertible sheaf with its differential-valued dual gives the perfect Serre duality pairing. Since the global regular functions on an integral projective curve over an algebraically closed field are $k$, evaluation at the constant function $1$ identifies this trace canonically with an isomorphism to $k$.

The coefficient of $t^{-1}dt$ gives a trace on $H^1({\mathbb{P}}^1,{\Omega }^1)$. Multiplication followed by this trace pairs the Laurent bases of the Čech cohomology of twists on the projective line perfectly: $t^a$ pairs with $t^{-a-1}$. For any vector bundle, evaluation into ${\Omega }^1$ defines the same natural pairing. Saturate a rational rank-one subspace to a line subbundle, and induct on rank using the long exact sequence in sheaf cohomology and compatibility of evaluation with connecting maps. This proves the duality without using the later splitting theorem.

On ${\mathbb{P}}_k^n$ with $n>0$, let $\mathcal{F}=i_{\ast }k$ at a rational point. It has one-dimensional global sections, but its dual of a sheaf is zero: a local map from the residue field into the local polynomial ring must have image annihilated by a nonzero parameter, which is impossible in an integral domain. Thus $H^n({\mathcal{F}}^{\vee }(-n-1))=0$. Serre duality for arbitrary coherent sheaves instead uses an Ext functor; replacing this by the ordinary dual can lose torsion information.

For a compact complex $n$-manifold and a holomorphic vector bundle $E$, analytic Serre duality givesThe pairing integrates the wedge product of bundle-valued Dolbeault cohomology representatives, contracting $E$ with its dual.