Prüfer algebraic spaces (Q522045)

The article is devoted to questions of relative birational geometry of algebraic spaces. It generalizes ideas and methods of the first named author's paper [Math. Ann. 318, No. 3, 585--607 (2000; Zbl 0972.32019)]. In this context the use of valuation schemes (valuation rings and their spectra) is extended to the more natural semi-local analogs, or -- more generally -- to Prüfer spaces: For Prüfer domains (i.e. integral domains such that all localizations in a prime ideal are valuation rings) one of the known equivalent descriptions is the property that they are precisely the domains whose spectra admit no nontrivial modifications. From this point of view the authors define the notions of Prüfer algebraic spaces \(X\) and of Prüfer pairs \((U,X)\), where \(U\subset X\) satisfies (apart from some technical properties) the condition that \(X\) admits no nontrivial \(U\)-modification. Using this, the authors study a generalization of the notion of an open immersion, introduced here as \textit{pro-open immersion}; this notion was studied originally by Raynaud in the case of schemes. Furthermore, basic properties of Prüfer spaces and pairs are investigated. Among the main results, equivalent characterizations of Prüfer spaces and Prüfer pairs are given: For an integral qcqs algebraic space \(X\) these characterizations imply e.g. the equivalence of the following conditions: {\parindent=0.7cm\begin{itemize}\item[--] \(X\) is Prüfer. \item[--] Any non-zero f.g. ideal \({\mathcal I} \subseteq {\mathcal O}_X\) is invertible. \item[--] Any non-empty blow up of \(X\) is an isomorphism. \item[--] Any quasi-modification \(Y\to X\) is an open immersion. \item[--] For any scheme \(X'\), an etale morphism \(X'\to X\) and a point \(x'\in X'\), the local ring \({\mathcal O}_{X',x'}\) is a valuation ring. \end{itemize}} Furthermore, a separated Prüfer algebraic space is shown to be always a scheme, and separated semi-local Prüfer algebraic spaces are affine. \textit{Valuation algebraic spaces} are defined as a qcqs Prüfer algebraic spaces with a unique closed point. They are used to establish valuative criteria of separatedness and properness in the spirit of the Zariski local valuative criterion. The authors express their hope that techniques similar to their recent paper will apply to study representable or possibly even non-representable morphismus of stacks.