Tannakian properties of unit Frobenius-modules (Q273426)

This paper proves that the unit \(\mathcal O_{F,X}^\Lambda\)-modules of \textit{M. Emerton} and \textit{M. Kisin} [The Riemann-Hilbert correspondence for unit \(F\)-crystals. Paris: Société Mathématique de France (2004; Zbl 1056.14025)] form a Tannakian category if the coefficient algebra is a field. Let us first explain the motivation of this work, as laid out in the introduction of this paper. Let \(\mathbb F_q\) be a finite field, and we take the coefficient ring \(\Lambda\) be an \(\mathbb F_q\)-algebra. Let \(X\) be a noetherian separated \(\mathbb F_q\)-scheme. When \(\Lambda\) is of finite dimensional over \(\mathbb F_q\), a result of \textit{N. M. Katz} [Lect. Notes Math. 350, 69--190 (1973; Zbl 0271.10033)] shows that there is a natural equivalence of categories \(U(X, \Lambda) \rightarrow{\;\cong \;} \mathrm{Loc}(X, \Lambda)\) between the category of unit \(\mathcal O_{F, X}^\Lambda\)-modules and the category of locally constant sheaves on \(X_{\text{ét}}\). The latter category is further equivalent to the category of \(\Lambda\)-module representations of the fundamental group of \(X\) (when \(X\) is connected). \textit{G. Böckle} and \textit{R. Pink} [Cohomological theory of crystals over function fields. Zürich: European Mathematical Society (EMS) (2009; Zbl 1186.14002)] extended this to a natural equivalence of categories \( \mathrm{Crys}(X, \Lambda) \rightarrow{\;\cong \;} \mathrm{Sh}(X_{\text{ét}}, \Lambda) \) between the category of \(\Lambda\)-crystals on \(X\) and the category of constructible sheaves on \(X_{\text{ét}}\). This paper concerns the case when \(\Lambda\) is no longer finite dimensional over \(\mathbb F_q\), in which case the category of constructible sheaves and local systems are not well-behaved. It then makes sense to use \(U(X, \Lambda)\) as a substitute of \(\mathrm{Loc}(X, \Lambda)\) for various purposes. The main theorem of this paper says that, when \(\Lambda\) is a field and when \(X\) is connected and locally noetherian, the category \(U(X, \Lambda)\) is \(\Lambda\)-linear Tannakian with respect to a rigid monoidal structure inherited from \(\mathrm{Crys}(X, \Lambda)\). The paper leaves open an interesting and important question: what is the Tannakian-dual group of this Tannakian category? As an intermediate step proving the theorem above, the author also proves that if a unit \(\mathcal O_{F, X}^\Lambda\)-module is locally of finite presentation as an \(\mathcal O_X^\Lambda\)-module then it is \(\mathcal O_X\)-flat.