Stable points on algebraic stacks (Q1043496)

Let \(\chi\) be an algebraic stack over a scheme \(S\). A coarse moduli map for \(\chi\) over \(S\) is a morphism \(\pi:\chi\to X\) from \(\chi\) to an algebraic space over \(S\) such that the following conditions are satisfied: {\parindent=7mm \begin{itemize}\item[(1)]If \(K\) is an algebraically closed \(S\)-field, then the map \(\pi\) induces a bijection between the set of isomorphism classes of objects in \(\chi(K)\) and those in \(X(K)\). \item[(2)]The map \(\pi\) is universal for maps from \(\chi\) to algebraic spaces over \(S\). \end{itemize}} In this situation, the algebraic space \(X\) is called a coarse moduli space for the stack \(\chi\). Of course, the concept of coarse moduli space for an algebraic stack resembles very much the notion of coarse moduli space for a class of algebraic varieties (or schemes), and one encounters similarly difficult problems with regard to the existence (or construction) of such objects as in the classical case. In a seminal paper of 1997, \textit{S. Keel} and \textit{S. Mori} [Ann. Math. (2) 145, No. 1, 193--213 (1997; Zbl 0881.14018)] proved the existence of a coarse moduli space for an Artin stack whose objects have finite automorphism groups. Actually, their theorem implies the existence of a coarse moduli space for a Deligne-Mumford stack under a fairly weak assumption. In the paper under review, the author studies this problem for arbitrary Artin stacks (with possibly positive-dimensional automorphism groups of their objects). This includes such examples arising from group actions on algebraic spaces, moduli stacks of vector bundles and complexes on algebraic varieties, moduli spaces in affine geometry, and many other concrete moduli problems. In this vein, the main purpose of the present work is to introduce an appropriate notion of stability onn an arbitrary Artin stack, and to construct then a coarse moduli space for the open substack of stable points (in this sense). Like in the classical cases, this is done by a local approach. More precisely, if \(p\) is a point on an Artin stack \(\chi\), then the a definition of stability (of the point \(p\)) is given by using certain; local data around that point \(p\). In analogy, to D. Mumford's classical approach via Geometric Invariant Theory (GIT), the author's stack-theoretic concept of stability is called ``GIT-like \(p\)-stability'' (with respect to a point \(p\in\chi\)). In this context, the author's first main theorem states that for an Artin stack \(\chi\) which is locally of finite type over a perfect field, the GIT-like \(p\)-stable points form an open substack \(\chi^{gs}\) admitting a coarse moduli space in the above sense. Further results concern existence criteria of coarse moduli spaces of Artin stacks over a field of characteristic zero, on the one hand, and the close relationship with classical GIT in view of quotient stacks of separated schemes of locally finite type over an algebraically closed field of characteristic zero, on the other hand. In a concluding section, applications to the cohomology of coherent sheaves on Artin stacks are discussed, mainly with a view toward finiteness results.