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Generic point

In , particularly within the framework of scheme theory, a generic point of an irreducible or is defined as a point whose closure under the is the entire space. This point belongs to every nonempty open and represents the "most general" or densest , capturing properties that hold throughout the space except possibly on lower-dimensional subsets. In the affine case, for a X = \Spec(A) where A is an , the generic point corresponds to the zero ideal (0), and its is the function field of X. The concept formalizes the idea of studying varieties or schemes "generically," allowing mathematicians to focus on behaviors that are true for a dense rather than specific points. For instance, in \Spec \mathbb{Z}, the (0) serves as the generic point, with its being the entire , contrasting with closed points corresponding to s (p) for primes p. Similarly, for the affine plane \Spec k[x, y] over a k, the generic point is the zero , while points like the (y - x^2) represent the generic points of irreducible curves within it. This structure ensures that every irreducible has a unique generic point, enabling precise descriptions of specializations and general positions in morphisms between schemes. Generic points play a foundational in modern , underpinning concepts like the function field, fibers of morphisms, and the "yoga of generic points" for handling limits and valuations. The at the generic point of an integral scheme is the function field of the scheme, facilitating the study of rational functions and . In non-affine settings, such as projective varieties, the generic point extends this framework, ensuring uniformity in treating classical and arithmetic geometries.

Introduction and Basics

Definition

In , the generic point of an irreducible X over a k is the unique point \eta \in X whose is the entire variety X. For an X = V(I) \subseteq \mathbb{A}^n_k, this corresponds to the (0) in the coordinate ring k[X] = k[x_1, \dots, x_n]/I, as the of k[X] identifies points of X with prime ideals, and the of \{(0)\} is \operatorname{Spec} k[X]. The point \eta represents X in a "general" sense, embodying properties that hold on a dense open of X. It is distinct from closed points, which are maximal ideals corresponding to specific points in the , and from special points where exceptional behaviors occur; instead, \eta satisfies generic properties—those true outside a proper closed —such as being a point of where no unnecessary algebraic relations hold among the coordinates. For a reducible variety X, which decomposes into irreducible components X_i, each component X_i has its own generic point \eta_i, whose closure is precisely X_i. These generic points are the minimal elements in the of points under , ensuring that the variety's structure is captured by its irreducible parts. In the scheme-theoretic framework, the generic point extends this notion to the , where for an integral scheme, it corresponds to the zero ideal in the structure sheaf.

Motivation

In classical , numerous properties of algebraic varieties, such as smoothness or the behavior of morphisms, hold universally except on proper closed subvarieties of strictly lower , which form a negligible subset in the . The introduction of generic points addresses this by encapsulating the "typical" or predominant case within a single representative point, thereby streamlining proofs and conceptualizations without the need to enumerate or exclude exceptional loci explicitly. This approach shifts emphasis from specific points to the overarching structure, facilitating a more unified treatment of geometric phenomena. The utility of generic points draws an analogy to dense subsets in topological spaces, where the generic point of an irreducible is dense, meaning every nonempty intersects its , which coincides with the entire . Consequently, a verified at the generic point extends to hold on a dense open subset, mirroring how "almost everywhere" assertions in or measure theory capture essential behaviors without addressing every individual case. This formalizes the intuitive notion of generality prevalent in early twentieth-century Italian , where statements about "" points could be rigorously localized to a representative. By abstracting away from explicit coordinate systems, generic points enable intrinsic, coordinate-free analyses of key attributes like or , which often manifest generically across the . For instance, the of a can be determined at its generic point via the transcendence degree of its function field, avoiding ad hoc choices of embeddings or bases that might obscure patterns. This abstraction not only enhances elegance in theoretical developments but also aligns with the broader goals of modern in prioritizing structural invariants over representational details.

Formal Framework

In algebraic varieties

In the classical framework of algebraic varieties over an k, an X is defined as an irreducible closed algebraic subset of or , endowed with the where the closed sets are the algebraic subsets of X. The generic point \eta of X is the unique point whose \overline{\{\eta\}} equals the entire variety X. For an with coordinate A, this corresponds to the point for the zero ideal in \Spec(A). This identifies \eta as the minimal element in the of prime ideals under inclusion, ensuring that every nonempty open subset of X contains \eta, thereby capturing the "generic" behavior across the variety. The \kappa(\eta) at the generic point \eta is canonically isomorphic to the function field k(X) of the X, which consists of the field of fractions of the coordinate ring of X and represents all s defined on a dense open subset of X. This association underscores the role of \eta in encoding the global rational structure of the , as any on X is regular at \eta. In terms of dimension, the generic point \eta has codimension zero in X, since the Krull dimension of X equals the transcendence degree of k(X) over k, and \eta corresponds to the full-dimensional irreducible component without further specialization. This positioning highlights \eta as the top-dimensional representative, with specializations to closed points corresponding to embeddings of residue fields \kappa(\eta) \hookrightarrow \kappa(\xi) where \xi are maximal ideals with \kappa(\xi) finite extensions of k. This framework for varieties over fields extends naturally to the more general setting of schemes.

In schemes

In the scheme-theoretic framework of , points of a are identified with prime ideals in the spectra of the rings sheaf associated to its affine open covers, generalizing the classical notion from varieties to allow for more flexible s including non-reduced schemes and non-separated morphisms. The on such a endows it with a where irreducible closed subsets correspond to prime ideals, and the generic point of an irreducible closed subset Z is the unique point \eta whose closure \overline{\{\eta\}} = Z. This point \eta lies in every nonempty open subset of Z, capturing the "most general" behavior within that component. For an affine X = \operatorname{Spec}(A) where A is an , the is , meaning it is both irreducible and reduced, and possesses a unique generic point corresponding to the zero ideal (0). The of this generic point is the entire X, as the zero ideal is contained in every of A, ensuring that \{\eta\} is dense in the . The stalk of the structure sheaf at this generic point \mathcal{O}_{X,\eta} is the field of fractions K(A) of A, often called the function field of X, which encodes the rational functions on the . This setup highlights how the generic point serves as the "generic stalk" representing the global function field in the case. In the more general case of a non-irreducible , which decomposes into a finite of irreducible components, each such component admits its own generic point, with the generic points of the being precisely those of its irreducible components. For instance, if X has multiple irreducible components Z_1, \dots, Z_n, then the generic points \eta_1, \dots, \eta_n satisfy \overline{\{\eta_i\}} = Z_i for each i, and no single point is dense in the whole X unless it is irreducible. This multiplicity reflects the scheme's structure as a in the topological sense, allowing the generic points to parametrize the distinct "generic fibers" or behaviors across components.

Properties and Characteristics

Key properties

In , the generic point of an irreducible closed Z of a X is defined as the point \xi \in Z such that the of \{\xi\} equals Z. This property implies that the generic point is dense in Z, meaning every nonempty open of Z contains \xi, in the sense of the . For an irreducible X, the of its generic point \eta is the entire space X = \overline{\{\eta\}}, emphasizing the density of \eta within X. Moreover, schemes are topological spaces, so every irreducible closed has a unique generic point. The of the generic point \eta of an integral X is the function field of X, which is maximal among the residue fields of all points in X. This maximality reflects the fact that the residue field extension degrees increase along specializations from the generic point to closed points.

Closure and specialization

In the on a X, the order is defined such that a point \eta specializes to a point \xi (denoted \eta \leadsto \xi) if \xi lies in the of the \{\eta\}. For the generic point \eta of an irreducible closed subset Z \subseteq X, the of \{\eta\} is Z itself, so \eta specializes to every other point \xi \in Z. Equivalently, every point \xi \in Z has \eta as a , since the relation is the reverse of the order. This structure positions the generic point as the most general element in the partial order restricted to Z, with all other points being its specializations. Specialization chains in an irreducible scheme illustrate the hierarchical structure from the generic point to closed points, where each step corresponds to a proper of closures and a drop in . Specifically, a \eta = \eta_0 \leadsto \eta_1 \leadsto \cdots \leadsto \eta_n = \xi, with \xi a closed point, has length n equal to the dimension of the local ring \mathcal{O}_{X, \xi} minus the dimension of the local ring \mathcal{O}_{X, \eta}, reflecting the codimension of \xi relative to the generic point. Such chains are maximal in length for the of the scheme, as the Krull at the generic point equals the of X. In Noetherian schemes, these chains are finite, ensuring well-defined . A (or ) is irreducible if and only if it is nonempty and admits a unique generic point, whose is the entire . Conversely, the existence of a unique generic point characterizes irreducibility, as multiple generic points would imply a into distinct irreducible components. are topological spaces, meaning every irreducible closed subset has precisely one generic point, which underpins the between irreducible closed subsets and their generic points.

Examples and Illustrations

Classical examples

In classical over an k, the affine line \mathbb{A}^1_k = \operatorname{Spec} k provides a fundamental example of a generic point. The points of \mathbb{A}^1_k are the prime ideals of k, which factor as (x - a) for a \in k or the zero ideal (0). The closed points correspond to the maximal ideals (x - a), each representing a specific point a on the line. The generic point is the zero ideal (0), whose closure is the entire affine line \mathbb{A}^1_k = V((0)), as it is dense in the . Another illustrative example arises in the \mathbb{P}^2_k = \operatorname{Proj} k[x, y, z], where a smooth conic C is defined by the zero locus of an irreducible homogeneous quadratic Q(x, y, z) = 0. The generic point of C corresponds to the homogeneous (Q) in k[x, y, z], and its is the entire V(Q). This generic point represents the function k(C) of the conic, which is the of fractions of the degree-zero part of the graded coordinate k[x, y, z]_{(Q)}, isomorphic to the k(t) via a parametrization such as the . For an irreducible V(f) in affine or over k, where f is an , the generic point is the principal (f). Its is the whole hypersurface V(f), which is irreducible by assumption. This generic point lies outside the singular locus \operatorname{Sing}(V(f)) = V(f, \partial f / \partial x_1, \dots, \partial f / \partial x_n), a proper closed subvariety of lower , ensuring that the local ring at the generic point is a (the function field k(V(f))) and thus regular.

Scheme-theoretic examples

In scheme theory, the spectrum of an integral domain exemplifies the generic point, where the zero ideal serves as the unique generic point whose Zariski closure is the entire affine scheme. For X = \Spec R with R an integral domain, the point \eta corresponding to the prime ideal (0) is dense, and the residue field at \eta is the fraction field of R. This structure generalizes the classical notion of a generic point in varieties, but extends to non-geometric base rings. A prominent example is X = \Spec \mathbb{Z}, the affine plane over the integers, which models arithmetic surfaces. The generic point \eta = (0) captures the "global" behavior over \mathbb{Q}, with its closure comprising the whole scheme, including specializations to closed points like (p, f(x)) for primes p \in \mathbb{Z} and irreducible polynomials f. The stalk \mathcal{O}_{X, \eta} is the fraction field \mathbb{Q}(x), emphasizing the scheme's integral nature over \Spec \mathbb{Z}. For non-reduced schemes, the generic point of an irreducible component corresponds to the containing the nilradical, and nilpotents can persist in the stalk at this point, distinguishing it from reduced cases. Consider X = \Spec k/(x^2), a non-reduced thickening of the origin in the affine line over a k. This scheme is irreducible with a single point \eta (the image of (x)), serving as its generic point, whose closure is X itself; however, the stalk \mathcal{O}_{X, \eta} \cong k_{(x)}/(x^2) contains nilpotents, reflecting infinitesimal structure at the "generic" level. Product schemes illustrate generic points across multiple components, highlighting schemes' capacity for disconnected spaces. The scheme X = \Spec(k \times k) decomposes as the disjoint union of two affine lines \Spec k \sqcup \Spec k, each an irreducible component. The generic point of the first component is \mathfrak{p}_1 = (0 \times k), dense in \Spec k, with residue field k(x); similarly, \mathfrak{p}_2 = (k \times 0) is generic for the second, with residue field k(y). These points' closures are their respective components, underscoring the scheme's reducibility.

Applications

In intersection theory

In intersection theory, generic points play a crucial role in ensuring transversality and properness of intersections between subvarieties or cycles. When two subvarieties V and W of a scheme X intersect properly, meaning the codimension of each irreducible component of V \cap W equals the sum of the codimensions of V and W, the intersection multiplicity at the generic point \xi of such a component Z is computed using the Tor formula: e_Z(V, W) = \sum_i (-1)^i \length_{\mathcal{O}_{X,\xi}} \Tor_i^{\mathcal{O}_{X,\xi}}(\mathcal{O}_{V,\xi}, \mathcal{O}_{W,\xi}). This local computation at the generic point simplifies the determination of intersection numbers, which in turn yield degrees via extensions of function fields; for example, over algebraically closed fields, the degree of the intersection class pushed forward to a point is the dimension of the function field of the generic intersection point over the base field. The moving lemma further leverages points by allowing the of to achieve transverse . Specifically, for \alpha of r and \beta of s on a projective , there exists a rationally equivalent cycle \alpha' \sim_{\rat} \alpha such that \alpha' and \beta intersect properly, with the support of the intersection consisting of points generic to their components, avoiding or excess intersections. This ensures that the intersection product \alpha' \cdot \beta is well-defined and computes the same class as the original, facilitating calculations in the Chow groups without special cases. For self-intersections, generic points enable the definition of multiplicities directly on the without needing to resolve singularities. The self-intersection class of a subvariety C embedded in a ambient space is an element of the Chow group A_*(C), supported at the generic point of C with multiplicity given by the degree of bundle or the refined intersection product along the ; for a C on a surface, this yields C \cdot C copies of the generic point \eta_C of C. This approach, via the deformation to cone, assigns multiplicities intrinsically, preserving properties like closure under .

In deformation theory

In deformation theory, families of algebraic varieties are often parametrized by a base B, where the generic point \eta of B defines the generic fiber X_\eta, which is the of the family over the function field k(B). This generic fiber captures the "general" member of the family, frequently exhibiting desirable properties such as , even when special fibers over closed points develop singularities. For a flat f: X \to B with geometrically integral fibers, the generic fiber X_\eta is if the total space X is over B, as is an open condition in flat families. This contrasts with special fibers, which may acquire mild singularities, allowing deformation theory to analyze how general smooth objects specialize. The role of generic points extends to understanding obstructions in lifting deformations. In a versal deformation of a X_0 over a local Artin ring, the obstruction to extending a deformation from a smaller ring lies in a group such as H^2(X_0, T_{X_0}), where T_{X_0} is the sheaf. If these obstruction classes vanish when evaluated at the generic point of the versal , it often implies that the deformation is unobstructed locally, enabling the construction of a smooth formal versal space. For reduced schemes that are generically smooth, the Kodaira-Spencer map identifies the of the deformation with \operatorname{Ext}^1_{O_{X_0}}(\Omega_{X_0}, O_{X_0}), and vanishing obstructions at generic points ensure liftability along small extensions, as seen in examples like smooth projective varieties. In , generic points represent typical objects in the parameter space, free from the special symmetries or degenerations that characterize closed points. For instance, in the moduli space of curves M_g for g \geq 2, the generic point corresponds to a smooth curve without automorphisms beyond the identity, and the at this point has $3g-3, matching the expected dimension from deformation . This allows computations of global invariants, such as the dimension of the moduli space, by focusing on the case, where properties like unobstructedness hold universally. Miniversal deformations further illustrate this, as the generic fiber over the versal ring provides a model for general members, aiding in the prorepresentability of the deformation functor under conditions like finite-dimensional tangent spaces.

Historical Development

Origins

The concept of the generic point originated in the mid-19th century with Bernhard Riemann's development of Riemann surfaces as a tool to study multivalued functions, particularly meromorphic functions on algebraic curves. In his 1851 thesis and subsequent 1857 paper on abelian functions, Riemann considered the typical or non-special behavior of these functions at points away from branch points, poles, or ramification loci, anticipating later ideas of generic points. This allowed him to quantify the of the surface and establish foundational results like the Riemann-Roch theorem, which relates the of the of meromorphic functions with prescribed poles to topological invariants evaluated at such general positions. David Hilbert's Nullstellensatz, introduced in 1893 as part of his work on , further advanced the distinction between and special points by linking ideals to the zero sets they define over algebraically closed fields. The asserts that the equals the of the maximal ideals corresponding to points in the , implicitly separating the solutions—captured by the function field of the , analogous to at a general point—from special solutions confined to proper subvarieties of lower dimension. This correspondence provided an algebraic framework for understanding the structure of solution sets, highlighting how properties holding at the level propagate to most points while failing at special ones. Precursors to the and the explicit role of generic points emerged in Oscar Zariski's early 20th-century investigations of ideals and algebraic varieties during , particularly in his studies of algebraic surfaces and over fields of arbitrary characteristic. In works such as his 1935 monograph Algebraic Surfaces and related papers on , Zariski adopted an ideal-theoretic approach to varieties, treating irreducible components via prime ideals and emphasizing points whose closures fill the entire component—the generic points—as central to describing general membership and . These ideas culminated in his 1944 paper on the of Riemann manifolds for abstract fields, where he formalized a on the set of prime ideals, making the generic point the unique dense point of each irreducible variety.

Key developments

In the 1960s, formalized the notion of generic points within the emerging theory of schemes, as detailed in his (EGA). There, the Spec(R) of a R is equipped with a where the generic point of an irreducible closed subscheme corresponds to the (0) in the case of an , whose closure is the entire space; this structure unifies classical geometric intuition with algebraic foundations, enabling the treatment of points as prime ideals with associated residue fields. This formalization in EGA IV further extends to local properties and morphisms, where generic points capture the "general" behavior along fibers, as seen in theorems on flatness and . During the late 1960s and 1970s, the advanced the role of generic points in , particularly in and purity contexts. In SGA 1, effective descent criteria for étale morphisms rely on verifying conditions at generic points of base schemes, ensuring that objects over the total space descend from the generic fiber when the morphism is representable and separated. Purity theorems, developed by in SGA 4½, utilize generic points to establish exact sequences relating the étale cohomology of a scheme to that of its open and closed subschemes, such as in the localization sequence where the generic point of a normal crossing divisor facilitates isomorphisms in higher cohomology groups. These developments provided tools for computing cohomology via specialization at generic points, bridging algebraic and topological aspects. In the , extensions to Arakelov geometry introduced analogues of generic points at infinite places within arithmetic schemes. Building on Suren Arakelov's foundational for arithmetic surfaces, which incorporates metrics on fibers over infinite primes to define degrees, later works by Parshin and generalized this to higher-dimensional varieties by treating the "generic fiber at " as a uniformizing element analogous to the classical generic point, enabling height functions and intersection multiplicities that account for archimedean completions. This arithmetic analogue, refined in Gillet's arithmetic , allows generic points over the rationals to pair with infinite metrics, yielding Arakelov-Green functions that measure "points at " in diophantine settings.

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