Nash wings and real prime divisors (Q2266747)

Let \(A=R[x_ 1,...,x_ n]\) be the affine coordinate ring of a variety V defined over a real closed field R. We study (partial) orders P on the function field R(V) of V with \(P\cap A\) consisting of functions non- negative at every point of some open semi-algebraic subset of the regular real points of V. The theorem we prove is that every prime of A which is convex with respect to \(P\cap A\) is the center of a real prime divisor of R(V). The methods used involve explicitly constructing total orders extending P by checking consistency along Nash wings. We therefore need to develop a theory of Nash arcs and prove a version of a Nash wing selection lemma which, in the regular case, allows us to find Nash wings consisting of a Nash-parametrized family of Nash curves. This result is as important as the algebraic result just mentioned. The techniques used are a synthesis of real valuation theory, simple algebraic geometry, and real spectrum methods.