Jet closures and the local isomorphism problem (Q1703208)

The arc spaces and jet schemes have been introduced and applied in the study of singularities of algebraic varieties in the works of \textit{J. F. Nash jun.} [Duke Math. J. 81, No. 1, 31--38 (1995; Zbl 0880.14010)], \textit{J. Denef} and \textit{F. Loeser} [Invent. Math. 135, No. 1, 201--232 (1999; Zbl 0928.14004)] and \textit{M. Mustaţă} (for singularities of pairs) [J. Am. Math. Soc. 15, No. 3, 599--615 (2002; Zbl 0998.14009)]. For a scheme \(X\) over a field \(k\), the scheme of local \(m\)-jets \(X^x_m\) at \(X\) is the fiber over \(x\) of the canonical projection \(\pi_m:X_m\to X\). The local isomorphism problem asks if having a morphism of germs \(\phi:(X,x)\to(Y,y)\) such that for all \(m\in\mathbb{N}\cup\{\infty\}\) the induced map \(X^x_m\to Y^y_m\) is an isomorphism, does it follow that \(\phi\) is an isomorphisms? If moreover \(\phi\) is a closed immersion, the same question is called embedded local isomorphism problem. In the article under review both problems are investigated by introducing and applying different closure operations on ideals in \(\mathcal{O}_{X,x}\). In particular, it is shown that both problems have negative answer in general. Let \(X=\operatorname{Spec}R\) for \((R,\mathfrak{m})\) local \(k\)-algebra, and let \(R_m\) be the ring of regular functions on \(X_m\), so that \(X_m=SpecR_m\). Given an ideal \(\mathfrak{a}\subset R\) define \(\mathfrak{a}_m\subset R_m\) to be the ideal generated by Hasse-Schmidt derivations [\textit{P. Vojta}, in: Diophantine geometry. Selected papers of a the workshop, Pisa, Italy, April 12--July 22, 2005. Pisa: Edizioni della Normale. 335--361 (2007; Zbl 1194.13027)] of elements of \(\mathfrak{a}\). For \(m\in\mathbb{N}\) the \(m\)-jet closure of \(\mathfrak{a}\) is \(\mathfrak{a}^{m-jc}=\{f\in R:(f)_m\in\mathfrak{a}_m\pmod{\mathfrak{m}R_m}\}\), and it is again an ideal, equal to the inverse image by \(R\to R/\mathfrak{a}\) of the \(m\)-jet closure of the zero ideal in \(R/\mathfrak{a}\). In the same way, the arc closure is \(\mathfrak{a}^{ac}=\mathfrak{a}^{\infty-jc}\), it is an ideal, too, and both are closure operations on ideals in \(R\). Moreover, it holds that \(\bigcap_{m\in\mathbb{N}}\mathfrak{a}^{m-jc}= \mathfrak{a}^{ac}\). To work with reduced local jet schemes is introduced another closure operation, \(m\)-jet support closure and arc support closure of an ideal. Furthermore, it is compared with the former closure operation as well as with the integral closure of an ideal. A germ \((X,x)\) has embedded local isomorphism property (ELIP) if the ELI problem has positive answer for any closed immersion \((Y,y)\to(X,x)\). The germ has local isomorphism property (LIP) for some class of schemes, if for any morphism \((Y,y)\to(X,x)\) with \((Y,y)\) in that class, the LI problem has positive answer. It is shown that if \((X,x)\) has ELIP then it has LIP for any locally Noetherian \(k\)-scheme germ \((Y,y)\). A key lemma claims that for \(X=\operatorname{Spec}R\) with \(R\) local \(k\)-algebra and \(P\) the closed point, \((X,P)\) has ELIP iff \((0)\subset R\) is arc closed. This means that we need to look for conditions for an ideal to be arc closed, and by the characterization of \(\mathfrak{a}^{ac}\) it is enough to check it for the zero ideals in local \(k\)-algebras. Then it is given an example of ideal \(\mathfrak{a}\subset R=k[[x_1,x_2,\dots]]\) such that the zero ideal in \(R/\mathfrak{a}\) is not arc closed, obtaining an example of a germ not having ELI property. Another key result claims that this property does hold for some large classes of local \(k\)-algebras, giving in this way a few classes of germs of \(k\)-schemes with ELIP. They include homogeneous germs, germs of reduced schemes of finite type, and germs of hypersurfaces in smooth varieties. As a further direction for investigation, that question is asked again for germs of arbitrary Noetherian \(k\)-schemes.