No label defined (Q4549269)

The article describes recent applications of algebraic geometry to noncommutative algebra. Results in noncommutative algebra have been obtained by using the global techniques of projective algebraic geometry. The article is explaining some important results of this kind. A classical theorem of Serre says that if the commutative graded \(k\)-algebra \(C\) is generated in degree one, then the categories \(\text{coh}(X)\) of coherent sheaves on \(X=\text{Proj}(C)\) and \(\text{qgr}(C)\) of finitely generated graded \(C\)-modules modulo torsion are equivalent. This result has noncommutative analogues, giving new insight to noncommutative problems. The author proposes that there are two strands to this approach: 1) Since \(X\) can be reconstructed from \(\text{coh}(X)\), this category is regarded as the variety. Thus given a noncommutative graded \(k\)-algebra \(R=\oplus R_i\) generated in degree one, \(\text{qgr}(R)\) is considered the corresponding noncommutative variety, a curve if \(\text{dim}_kR_i\) grows linearly, a surface if it grows quadratically. 2) In order to use algebraic geometry to study noncommutative algebras, commutative varieties are constructed from those algebras. This is the main strand of this article. When \(R\) is commutative, the points of \(\text{Proj}(R)\) correspond to the graded factor modules \(M=R/I=\oplus_{i\geq 0}M_i\) for which \(\text{dim}_kM_i=1\) for all \(i\). These modules are still defined when \(R\) is noncommutative and are called point modules. In many cases the set of such modules is parametrized by a commutative scheme that controls the structure of \(R\). The article describes the historical background of the subject; in particular the twisted homogeneous coordinate rings are defined and studied. Maybe the most essential point is the theorem by Artin-Van den Bergh stating that when \(X\) is a projective scheme with an automorphism \(\sigma\) and when \(\mathcal{L}\) is a \(\sigma\)-ample invertible sheaf, then the twisted homogeneous coordinate ring \(B=B(X,\mathcal{L}\sigma)\) is a right noetherian connected ring such that \(\text{qgr}(B)\cong\text{coh}(X)\). This leads to the classification of noncommutative curves and planes, but it also tells about the difficulties of the classification of surfaces. Finally the Hilbert schemes of (point) modules are discussed. The problem of whether or not algebras are (strongly) noetherian is discussed. For the entire collection see [Zbl 0993.00022].