Chapter 1 Sheaf Theory
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This version: 28/02/2014 Chapter 1 Sheaf theory The theory of sheaves has come to play a central roleˆ in the theories of several complex variables and holomorphic differential geometry. The theory is also essential to real analytic geometry. The theory of sheaves provides a framework for solving “local to global” problems of the sort that are normally solved using partitions of unity in the smooth case. In this chapter we provide a fairly comprehensive overview of sheaf theory. The presentation in this chapter is thorough but basic. When one delves deeply into sheaf theory, a categorical approach is significantly more efficient than the direct approach we undertake here. However, for many first-timers to the world of sheaves—particularly those coming to sheaves from the differential geometric rather than the algebraic world—the categorical setting for sheaf theory is an impediment to understanding the point of the theory. In Chapter 4 we discuss the cohomology of sheaves and use category theory to do so. We use this opportunity to review the more categorical approach to sheaf theory, as this provides a very nice nontrivial application of category theory. There are many references available for the theory of sheaves. A classical reference is that of Godement[1958], where the subject is developed from the point of view of algebraic topology. An updated treatment along the same lines is that of Bredon [1997]. The theory is developed quite concisely in the book of Tennison[1976] and in Chapter 5 of [Warner 1983]. A comprehensive review of applications of sheaf theory in differential geometry is given in [Kashiwara and Schapira 1990]. A quite down to earth development of differential geometry with the language of sheaves playing an integral roleˆ is given by Ramanan[2005]. Regardless of one’s route to their understanding of the theory of sheaves, it is a subject that will consume some time in order to develop a useful understanding. 1.1 The basics of sheaf theory In this section we review those parts of the theory that will be useful for us. Our interest in sheaves arises primarily in the context of holomorphic and real analytic functions and sections of real analytic vector bundles. However, in order to provide some colour for the particular setting in which we are interested, we give a treatment with greater generality. The treatment, however, is far from comprehensive, and we 2 1 Sheaf theory 28/02/2014 refer to the references at the beginning of the chapter for more details. One of the places we do engage in some degree of generality is the class of functions and sections for which we consider sheaves. While our applications of sheaf theory will focus on the holomorphic and real analytic cases, we will also treat the cases of general differentiability. Specifically, we consider sheaves of functions and sections of r class C for r Z 0 ; !; hol . The manifolds on which we consider a certain class ≥ of differentiability2 will,[ f1 of course,g vary with the degree of differentiability. To encode this, we shall use the language, “ let r0 ; !; hol be as required.” By this we mean 2 f1 g that r0 = if r Z 0 , that r0 = ! if r = !, and r0 = hol if r = hol. Also, we shall 1 2 ≥ [ f1g implicitly or explicitly let F = R if r Z 0 ;! and let F = C if r = hol. ≥ We shall deal with three classes2 of sheaves[ f1 ing this book: sheaves of sets, sheaves of rings, and sheaves of modules. We shall on occasion separate the presentation according to these three classes. This will serve to clarify that many of the constructions have their basis in sheaves of sets, and the application to sheaves of rings or modules is a matter of invoking the algebraic structure on the constructions on sets. This manner of presentation has the benefit of being unambiguous—and sometimes this is useful—but is also pointlessly repetitive. You lose where you win, sometimes. 1.1.1 Presheaves The basic ingredient in the theory of sheaves is a presheaf. We shall need vari- ous sorts of presheaves, and will define these separately. This is admittedly a little laboured, and is certainly a place where a categorical presentation of the subject is more efficient. But we elect not to follow this abstract approach. Presheaves of sets Since nothing is made more complicated by doing so at this point, we give our general definition of presheaf in terms of topological spaces. 1.1.1 Definition (Presheaf of sets) Let (S; O) be a topological space. A presheaf of sets over S is an assignment to each U O a set F (U) and to each V; U O with V U 2 2 ⊆ a mapping rU;V : F (U) F (V) called the restriction map, with these assignments having the following properties:! (i) rU;U is the identity map; (ii) if W; V; U O with W V U, then rU W = rV W rU V. 2 ⊆ ⊆ ; ; ◦ ; We shall frequently use a single symbol, like F , to refer to a presheaf, with the understanding that F = (F (U))U O , and that the restriction maps are understood. 2 • Let us introduce the common terminology for presheaves. 1.1.2 Definition (Local section, global section) Let F be a presheaf of sets over a topolog- ical space (S; O). An element s F (U) is called a section of F over U and an element 2 of F (S) is called a global section. • 28/02/2014 1.1 The basics of sheaf theory 3 Presheaves can be restricted to open sets. 1.1.3 Definition (Restriction of a presheaf) Let F be a presheaf of sets over a topological space (S; O). If U O then we denote by F U the restriction of F to U, which is the 2 j presheaf over U whose sections over V U are simply F (V). ⊆ • Let us look at the principal examples we shall use in this book. 1.1.4 Examples (Presheaves of sets) 1. Let S = pt be a one point set. A presheaf of sets over S is then defined by F(x ) = X f g 0 and F ( ) = pt where X is a set. ; f g (We shall see in Lemma 1.1.12 that it is natural to take sections over the empty set to be singletons, even though this is not required by the definition of a presheaf.) 2. Let (S; O) be a topological space and let x S. Let X be a set. We define a presheaf 0 2 of sets S by x0;X 8 >X; x U; U < 0 Sx0;X( ) = > 2 :> pt ; x0 < U: f g The restriction maps are prescribed as the natural maps that can be defined. To be clear, if U; V O satisfy V U, then, if x U), we define 2 ⊆ 0 2 8 > <>X; x V; rU;V(x) = > 2 :> pt ; x0 < V f g and, if x0 < U, we define rU;V(pt) = pt. This is called a skyscraper presheaf. 3. If X is a set, a constant presheaf of sets FX on a topological space (S; O) is defined by FX(U) = X for every U O. The restriction maps are taken to be rU V = idX for 2 ; every U; V O with V U. 2 ⊆ • Presheaves of rings Now we adapt the preceding constructions to rings rather than sets. Let us make an assumption on the rings we shall use is sheaf theory (and almost everywhere else). 1.1.5 Assumption (Assumption about rings) “Ring” means “commutative ring with unit.” • We can now go ahead and make our definition of presheaves of rings. 1.1.6 Definition (Presheaf of rings) Let (S; O) be a topological space. A presheaf of rings over S is an assignment to each U O a set R(U) and to each V; U O with V U a ring 2 2 ⊆ homomorphism rU;V : R(U) R(V) called the restriction map, with these assignments having the following properties:! (i) rU;U is the identity map; (ii) if W; V; U O with W V U, then rU W = rV W rU V. 2 ⊆ ⊆ ; ; ◦ ; 4 1 Sheaf theory 28/02/2014 We shall frequently use a single symbol, like R, to refer to a presheaf of rings, with the understanding that R = (R(U))U O , and that the restriction maps are understood. 2 • The notions of a local section and a global section of a presheaf of rings, and of the restriction of a presheaf of rings is exactly as in the case of a presheaf of sets; see Definitions 1.1.2 and 1.1.3. Let us give some examples of presheaves of rings. 1.1.7 Examples (Presheaves of rings) 1. If S = pt is a one point set, we can define presheaves of rings by taking a ring R f g and defining F(x ) = R and F ( ) = 0 . 0 ; f g 2. Let (S; O) be a topological space and let x S. We let R be a ring and take define 0 2 S R by x0; 8 >R; x U; U < 0 Sx0;R( ) = > 2 :> 0 ; x0 < U: f g This is a skyscraper presheaf of rings. The restriction maps are as in Example 1.1.4–2. 3. In Example 1.1.4–3, if the set X has a ring structure, then we have a constant presheaf of rings. The next few examples give some specific instances of this.