The forms of the Witt group schemes (Q1125884)

Throughout this paper, let \(p\) be a fixed prime number and let \(\mathbb{F}_p\) be the prime field of characteristic \(p\). We assume that all Witt group schemes are with respect to this \(p\) and all rings are algebras over \(\mathbb{F}_p\). The purpose of this paper is to study the forms of Witt group schemes. For any scheme \(S\), we denote by \(W_{n,S}\) \((W_{\infty,S})\) the Witt group scheme of finite length \(n\) (resp. of the length of infinity); for each \(n\in\mathbb{N}\), we indicate the \(n\)-dimensional vector group scheme (resp. affine space) over \(S\) by \(G^n_{\alpha,S}\) (resp. \(\mathbb{A}^n_S)\). If \(S=\text{Spec} B\) for some commutative ring \(B\), then we write \(W_{n,B}\) (resp. \(W_{\infty,B}\), \(G^n_{\alpha,B}\), and \(\mathbb{A}^n_B)\) for \(W_{n,S}\) (resp. \(W_{\infty,S}\), \(G^n_{\alpha,S}\), and \(\mathbb{A}^n_S)\). As we know, the three terms, the one-dimensional vector group scheme, the additive group scheme, and \(W_1\), indicate the same thing. Let \(S\) be a scheme. Suppose that \(G\) and \(G'\) are two group schemes over \(S\). We say that \(G'\) is an \(S\)-form of \(G\) provided that there exists a faithfully flat and quasi-compact morphism \(S'\to S\) such that \(G_{S'} \simeq G_{S'}'\) as \(S'\)-group schemes. Let \(A\) be an integral domain with fraction field \(K\) and \(G\) be an affine flat group scheme over \(A\). We say that \(G\) is a model of \(G_K\). Definition. Let \(A\) be a commutative algebra over \(\mathbb{F}_p\). It is called an \(F\)-ring, provided that \(A\) is integrally closed domain and the injection map \(A\hookrightarrow A^{p^{-1}}\) is flat. If furthermore \(\text{Pic} (A)=0\) we call \(A\) an \(FP\)-ring. For \(FP\)-rings, the basic examples are any field of characteristic \(p\), any polynomial algebra of a finite number of indeterminates over a field of characteristic \(p\), and any local \(F\)-ring. This paper consists of four sections: In section 1, we study the forms of vector group schemes, especially the forms of the additive group scheme. Our main result in this section is: Theorem 1.9. Let \(A\) be an \(FP\)-ring and let \(G\) be a form of the additive group scheme over \(A\). Then either \(G=G_{\alpha,A}\) or \(G\) can be expressed as a closed subgroup scheme of \(G^2_{\alpha,A} =\text{Spec} A[x,y]\) with ideal generated by an equation \(y^{p^n}= x+a_1 x^p +\cdots +a_rx^{p^r}\), where \(a_1, \dots, a_r\in A\) with some \(a_i \notin A^p\). In section 2, we study the forms of the Witt group schemes with dimension \(\geq 2\). In this section, we first describe the forms of Witt group schemes from different points of view and then study the forms of Witt group schemes over a field. We prove: Theorem 2.4. Let \(A\) be an integral domain containing \(F_p\) and let \(G\) over \(A\) be a form of \(W_{n,A}\). Then the following two conditions are equivalent: 1. \(G=W_{n,A}\); 2. there exists a composition series of \(G\), \(0<G_1< \cdots <G_n=G\), whose quotients are isomorphic to \(G_{\alpha,A}\). If we further assume that \(A\) is an \(FP\)-ring, then the above conditions are equivalent to: 3. \(\overline G= \mathbb{A}^n_A\). Theorem 2.5. Let \(A\) be an \(F\)-ring and let \(G\) be a group scheme over \(A\). Then \(G\) is a form of \(W_{n,A}\) iff locally \(G_{A^{p^{-m}}} \simeq W_{n,A^{p^{-m}}}\) for some \(m\in \mathbb{N}\). If we further assume that \(A\) is an \(FP\)-ring, then \(G\) is a form of \(W_{n,A}\) iff \(G_{A^{p^{-m}}} \simeq W_{n,A^{p^{-m}}}\) for some \(m\in\mathbb{N}\). Corollary 2.9. Let \(k\) be a field of characteristic \(p\) and let \(G\) be a form of \(W_{n,k}\). Then under one of the following conditions, \(G\simeq W_{n,k}\): 1. \(G_l\simeq W_{n,l}\) for some separable field extension \(l\) of \(k\); 2. \(k\) is a perfect field. In section 3, we consider the models of the forms of \(W_n\), where \(n>1\) over a discrete valuation ring \(A\). We assume that the fraction field of \(A\) is \(K\) and the residue field of \(A\) is \(k\). Then we obtain: Corollary 3.2. Let \(G\) be a smooth group scheme over \(A\). If \(G_K\) and \(G_k\) are forms of finite dimensional Witt group schemes, then so is \(G\) over \(A\). In section 4, we consider the existence and uniqueness of some kinds of forms of Witt group schemes. First, over an \(FP\)-ring \(A\), we study the forms of \(W_{2,A}\) and construct all forms of \(W_{2,A}\) of height 1. Then we prove: Theorem 4.4. Let \(A\) be an \(FP\)-ring and let \(H\) be a form of \(G_{\alpha,A}\) of height 1. Then for each \(n\in \mathbb{N}\), there exists at most one form of \(W_{n+1,A}\) of type \(H\).