The trace of the local \(\mathbb{A}^1\)-degree
The theory of \(\mathbb{A}^1\)-enumerative geometry is a relatively young topic, defined as an application of the \(\mathbb{A}^1\)-homotopy theory of \textit{F. Morel} and \textit{V. Voevodsky} [Publ. Math., Inst. Hautes Étud. Sci. 90, 45--143 (1999; Zbl 0983.14007)] to enumerative geometry over arbitrary base fields \(\kappa\); see [\textit{B. Williams} and \textit{K. Wickelgren}, in: Handbook of homotopy theory. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. 42 p. (2020; Zbl 1473.14041)]. In this short article, the authors study the local \(\mathbb{A}^1\)-degree, a foundational tool in \(\mathbb{A}^1\)-enumerative geometry. Analogous to the classical Brouwer degree of a continuous map \(\mathbb{R}^n\to \mathbb{R}^n\) with an isolated zero at the origin taking values in the integers, the local \(\mathbb{A}^1\)-degree is an invariant of a map \(f\colon\mathbb{A}^n_\kappa\to \mathbb{A}^n_\kappa\) at an isolated zero \(p\) taking values in the Grothendieck--Witt group \(\mathrm{GW}(\kappa)\) of the field \(\kappa\). The main theorem [Theorem 1.3] states that if the map \(\kappa\to\kappa(p)\) from the residue field of \(p\) is separable and of finite degree, then the local \(\mathbb{A}^1\)-degree of \(f\) can be computed as the image of the local \(\mathbb{A}^1\)-degree of the base change of \(f\) over \(\kappa(p)\) under the natural transfer map of Grothendieck-Witt groups. This result is somewhat inspired by Morel's original work in defining the local \(\mathbb{A}^1\)-degree [\textit{F. Morel}, in: Proceedings of the international congress of mathematicians (ICM), Madrid, Spain, August 22--30, 2006. Volume II: Invited lectures. Zürich: European Mathematical Society (EMS). 1035--1059 (2006; Zbl 1097.14014)] and more recent work by \textit{J. L. Kass} and \textit{K. Wickelgren} [Duke Math. J. 168, No. 3, 429--469 (2019; Zbl 1412.14014)]. The authors also obtain a corollary of Theorem 1.3, generalising a statement of Kass and Wickelgren [loc. cit.] relating the local \(\mathbb{A}^1\)-degree with the Scheja-Storch bilinear form. The authors begin in Section 2 by reviewing the necessary background in \(\mathbb{A}^1\)-homotopy theory, including the construction of the local \(\mathbb{A}^1\)-degree, and some of the six functor formalism of \(\mathbb{A}^1\)-stable homotopy theory, as detailed by \textit{M. Hoyois} [Algebr. Geom. Topol. 14, No. 6, 3603--3658 (2014; Zbl 1351.14013)], for example. The six functor formalism allows for interpretations of the various maps defining the local \(\mathbb{A}^1\)-degree and the transfer of Grothendieck-Witt groups internally in \(\mathcal{SH}(\kappa)\), the stable motivic homotopy category of \(\kappa\). In Section 3, the authors prove Theorem 1.3. To do this, a commutative diagram [Diagram (3)] is constructed in the unstable motivic homotopy category of \(\kappa\). Upon passage to the stable category \(\mathcal{SH}(\kappa)\), Diagram (3) yields Diagram (4) containing the local \(\mathbb{A}^1\)-degree as an endomorphism of the motivic sphere \(\mathbb{P}^n_\kappa/\mathbb{P}^{n-1}_\kappa\). Using the purity theorem of Morel-Voevodsky and an analysis of certain motivic Thom spaces, various arrows in Diagram (4) are recast and shown to be invertible; see Diagram (7). Theorem 1.3 now follows from Diagram (7) and the fact that \(\kappa\to \kappa(p)\) is finite and separable. As a final paragraph, the authors show the Scheja-Storch form agrees with the local \(\mathbb{A}^1\)-degree when \(\kappa\to\kappa(p)\) is separable and of finite degree, extending a previous result of Wickelgren and Kass [loc. cit.], where one assumes that \(p\) is \(\kappa\)-rational.
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