Differentials on the arc space (Q2304851)

The systematic study of arc spaces started by [\textit{J. F. Nash jun.}, Duke Math. J. 81, No. 1, 31--38 (1995; Zbl 0880.14010)]. It has been developed and applied for studying the singular locus \(\mathrm{Sing}(X)\) of an algebraic variety \(X\), its geometry and numerical invariants, in particular in an attempt to characterize the essential divisors over \(X\). This article continues in the same direction, describing the sheaf of Kähler differentials of the arc space \(X_{\infty}\), its geometry and relations with singularities. Given a field \(k\), the closed point in \(\mathrm{Spec}\ k[[t]]\) is denoted by \(O\), the generic point is \(\eta\), and an arc is \(\alpha: \mathrm{Spec}\ k[[t]] \rightarrow X\). If \(X_n\) is the \(n\)-th jet space, there are natural projections by truncation \(\pi_n: X_{\infty} \rightarrow X_n\) and \(\pi: X_{\infty} \rightarrow X = X_0\). Suppose \(X\) to be a \(k\)-scheme for simplicity. Let \(X_{\infty} \leftarrow U_{\infty} \rightarrow X\) be the universal arc which on an affine open set is a vector of power series with coefficients the coordinate functions on \(X_{\infty}\). Then is defined a sheaf \(\mathcal{P}_{\infty}\) whose \(\mathcal{O}_{X_{\infty}}\)-dual is the sheaf \(\mathcal{O}_{U_{\infty}}\). Using the 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)] it permits to express the sheaf of differentials \(\Omega_{X_{\infty}}\) in terms of \(\Omega_X\) and \(\mathcal{P}_{\infty}\). In a similar way, using the universal \(n\)-jet \(X_{n} \leftarrow U_{n} \rightarrow X\) and defining a sheaf \(\mathcal{P}_{n}\)) is described the sheaf of differentials \(\Omega_{X_n}\). In the affine case \(X = \mathrm{Spec}\ A\) one has \(\Omega_{A_\infty} = \Omega_A \bigotimes_A P_{\infty}\). These theorems could be applied to computing fibers of \(\Omega_{X_{\infty}}\), and for an efficient computation of the Jacobian matrices for \(X_n\) and \(X_{\infty}\). Let \(X\) be a scheme of finite type over \(k\) and take \(\alpha \in X_{\infty}, \alpha_n:= \pi_n(\alpha) \in X_n\), with residue fields \(L\) and \(L_n\) correspondingly. The embedding dimension of \(X_n\) at \(\alpha_n\) is \[\mathrm{emb.dim}(\mathcal{O}_{X_n, \alpha_n}) := \dim_{L_n}(I_n\setminus I_n^2),\] where \(I_n\) is the prime ideal defining \(\alpha_n\) (for any \(n\), including \(n = \infty\)). It is proved that \(\mathrm{emb.dim}(\mathcal{O}_{X_{\infty}, \alpha}) \geq \dim_{\alpha(\eta)}X - \dim(\pi(\alpha))\), and it is infinite if \(\alpha \in Y_{\infty} \subset X_{\infty}\), with either i) \(Y \subset X\) closed and \(\dim_{\alpha(\eta)}Y < \dim_{\alpha(\eta)}X\), or ii) \(Y = \mathrm{Sing}(X)\). The jet codimension of \(\alpha\) at \(X_{\infty}\) is \[\mathrm{jet.codim}(\alpha, X_{\infty}):= \\ \lim_{n \rightarrow \infty}((n+1)\dim X - \dim(\overline{\{\alpha_n\}})\] Another result investigates the change of the embedding dimension of arcs by a proper birational map, giving the Birational transformation rule in a new formulation. An arc is constructible if it is the generic point of an irreducible constructible subset in \(X_{\infty}\) (when \(X\) is variety, constructible sets are called cylinders). The arc is stable if it is generic point of an irreducible stable semi-algebraic subset \(W\), that is, the truncation \(\pi_{n+1}(X_{\infty}) \rightarrow \pi_n(X_{\infty})\) induces for \(n\gg0\) piecewise trivial fibration over \(\pi_n(W)\) with fiber \({\mathbb{A}}^{\dim X}\). Then \(\alpha\) is stable iff it is constructible and not contained in \(\mathrm{Sing}(X)_{\infty}\) (see [\textit{J. Denef} and \textit{F. Loeser}, Invent. Math. 135, No. 1, 201--232 (1999; Zbl 0928.14004)]). A theorem claims that for \(X\) a variety over perfect field, \(\mathrm{emb.dim}(\mathcal{O}_{X_{\infty}, \alpha}) = \mathrm{jet.codim}(\alpha, X_{\infty})\). Another result states that stable arcs are exactly these \(\alpha\) with \(\mathrm{jet.codim}(\alpha, X_{\infty}) < \infty\). The following characterizes local rings of finite embedding dimension in the space of arcs. Namely, for a scheme of finite type \(X\) over perfect field \(k\), and \(\alpha \in X_{\infty}\), \(\mathrm{emb.dim}(\mathcal{O}_{X_{\infty}, \alpha})< \infty \) iff \(\alpha\) is constructible and not contained in \((\mathrm{Sing} X)_{\infty}\). It follows, if moreover \(X\) is reduced, that \(\widehat{\mathcal{O}_{X_{\infty}, \alpha}}\) is Noetherian iff \(\alpha\) is constructible point not contained in \((\mathrm{Sing} X)_{\infty}\) (see [\textit{A. J. Reguera}, Compos. Math. 142, No. 1, 119--130 (2006; Zbl 1118.14004)]). Suppose now that \(X\) is reduced scheme of finite type and \(k\) is perfect. Then \(\alpha \in X_{\infty}\) is a maximal divisorial arc if \(\mathrm{ord}_{\alpha}\) extends to a divisorial valuation on \(X\), i.e. one of type \(\mathrm{q.val}_E\) for \(E\) some divisor over \(X\), such that \(\alpha\) is not a specialization of any other \(\gamma\) with \(ord_\alpha = \mathrm{ord}_{\gamma}\). A theorem [\textit{H. Mourtada} and \textit{A. J. Reguera}, Publ. Res. Inst. Math. Sci. 54, No. 1, 105--139 (2018; Zbl 1406.14012)] claims that for every divisorial valuation there is a unique maximal divisorial arc \(\alpha\) giving that valuation as \(\mathrm{ord}_{\alpha}\), with a formula for its embedding dimension. One corollary is that any maximal divisorial arc is a constructible point in \(X_{\infty}\) not contained in \(\mathrm{Sing}(X)_{\infty}\).