For a point and an abelian group , the skyscraper sheaf , with , is
Restrictions are identities or the map to zero, so it is a flasque sheaf. The global sections equal and higher cohomology vanishes:
No closed-point assumption is needed for this calculation of skyscraper sheaf cohomology. On an arbitrary topological space, its nonzero stalks are at points of when ; only for a closed point is the nonzero stalk confined to .
Choose the rational point and the coherent sheaf supported there. By skyscraper sheaf cohomology, .
Its dual of a sheaf is zero. Away from its source is zero. At , a homomorphism must send one to an element annihilated by the maximal ideal. Since , that ideal contains a nonzero coordinate parameter; the local ring is an integral domain, so the image must vanish. This proves that every local homomorphism vanishes. Consequently
There is no contradiction with Serre duality: the ordinary sheaf dual suffices for locally free sheaves, but general coherent sheaves require an Ext functor. This example illustrates failure of ordinary sheaf-dual Serre duality for a skyscraper sheaf.
Skyscraper sheaf Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-06
For a point inclusion and an abelian group , the skyscraper sheaf has sections on opens containing and zero on other opens. Its restriction maps are identities or maps to zero. If , its nonzero stalks occur at every point of the closure : exactly those points whose every neighbourhood contains . Thus the familiar assertion that only the stalk at is nonzero requires to be a closed point. It is always flasque, giving the stated skyscraper sheaf cohomology.