At a smooth point with local parameter , expand a rational differential as in the completed local field; its residue is . Formal substitution shows this coefficient is independent of the parameter, in arbitrary characteristic. For a finite separable extension of these local fields, residues commute with the differential trace, with a sum over branches. The monogenic trace formula in the trace-dual module of a finite curve map proves this compatibility by coefficient extraction.
We prove the required duality pairing explicitly. This also identifies the word “canonical” in the final conclusion: the isomorphism will be the intrinsic residue trace on a smooth projective curve, not a choice of basis for a one-dimensional vector space.
Begin on the projective line. With , the equation identifies its sheaf of Kähler differentials over a field with . The Laurent description in Question 3 pairs with by multiplication and extraction of the coefficient of . For the respective bases are
and their pairing matrix has entries
This is an invertible antidiagonal matrix. For both spaces vanish. The coefficient extraction is well defined on the Čech cohomology quotient: a differential regular on the first chart has no term, and one regular on the second chart is a sum of terms with , also with no such term.
To extend this calculation to every vector bundle on the projective line, we give the splitting argument. Every line bundle on is : choose a nonzero rational section to obtain a divisor, and use the divisors of to move each finite point to infinity. The denominator-clearing argument in Question 4 makes both and globally generated for large . The first assertion ensures for some integer ; the second gives an embedding , so this is impossible for . Choose the largest such integer .
A nonzero section gives . Saturating its image gives a line subbundle; if it were strictly larger, it would be for a positive integer , recording the section's zeros, contrary to maximality. Thus the quotient is a vector bundle. Induct on rank and write . Twist the sequence by . Since and , exactness forces , whence every . Local lifts of a quotient summand differ on overlaps by a Čech cocycle in . But by Question 3. Adjusting the lifts by a coboundary makes them glue, splitting the sequence. This proves the Birkhoff–Grothendieck theorem here. The direct-sum Laurent calculation consequently proves the perfect pairing
Although a splitting proves nondegeneracy, the pairing itself uses only evaluation followed by the coefficient trace on , so does not depend on that splitting. This is residue duality on the projective line.
Now choose a rational function on with . Such a choice is available over the perfect field : a local parameter at a smooth point has nonzero differential in the rank-one sheaf of Kähler differentials over a field. Since spans the differentials of , the extension has zero relative differentials and is separable. Question 1 gives a finite generically separable morphism . It is flat: locally its finite module over a discrete valuation ring is torsion-free, hence free. For the invertible sheaf , its pushforward is therefore a vector bundle.
We next prove the differential-valued dual identification needed to transfer the pairing. At a point of the base, complete the local rings. Each branch is of the form
If is the order of , formal division writes with basis and a monic degree- equation . In particular this argument does not assume tame ramification or the special equation . For a polynomial the elementary interpolation identity is
To see it, pass to a field containing the distinct roots of . Lagrange interpolation writes the remainder as . Comparison of its leading coefficient gives the identity, and descent returns it to the original field. The top-coefficient pairing on is perfect: in the power basis its matrix has zero entries for and ones for , so its determinant is a unit. It follows that the trace-dual fractional module is exactly .
Formal division of gives with a unit. Differentiate in and evaluate at . This shows that and differ by a unit. Since , we obtain
This is the trace-dual module of a finite curve map identity. Its map sends a differential to the functional , where the trace of is . For several branches take the direct sum of these maps. Completion is faithfully flat, so their being isomorphisms proves the corresponding isomorphism of the original local modules. A local trivialization of now gives, compatibly on overlaps,
The inverse images of the two standard affine charts and their intersection are affine. As in Question 4, the Čech cochain complexes identify with . Global sections in the last display identify the other factor with . Thus the perfect pairing already calculated on the projective line gives
In particular the stated vanishing of global sections forces . The proof has established the relevant case of Serre duality, rather than invoked it as the requested argument.
To identify its intrinsic trace, use the rational principal-parts resolution on an algebraic curve. The constant sheaf of rational sections and the sheaf of their finite-support principal parts are both flasque sheaves. Consequently a class of is represented by finitely many rational principal parts , modulo the family coming from one global rational section. For a global section of , evaluation gives the pairing
The algebraic residue of a rational differential is its coefficient, independent of the local parameter. Adding a regular representative changes no residue. The local trace calculation above also gives
One can check this directly in the monogenic description: expand a differential in the basis , use the displayed interpolation formula for its trace, and extract the coefficient of . Formal division of makes that coefficient exactly the coefficient of ; for a product of branch fields the trace is the sum. Thus the identity remains valid in positive characteristic, including wild ramification. On , partial fractions show that a rational differential's residues at finite points sum to the negative of its residue at infinity. Tracing to therefore proves that the sum of residues of every global rational differential on is zero. Adding a global rational section to consequently changes the pairing by zero. This defines the same pairing as the finite-pushforward calculation, intrinsically, without a chosen map to .
Finally take . Its differential-valued dual is , and Question 4 proved . Perfectness identifies with the dual of this space. Evaluation at the distinguished constant section gives
This residue trace on a smooth projective curve uses neither a basis choice nor an auxiliary finite map. It is the canonical isomorphism.