Torsion freeness and birational maps - MathOverflow most recent 30 from http://mathoverflow.net 2013-05-24T23:30:17Z http://mathoverflow.net/feeds/question/64887 http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/rdf http://mathoverflow.net/questions/64887/torsion-freeness-and-birational-maps Torsion freeness and birational maps Rurik 2011-05-13T11:00:58Z 2011-05-13T15:07:01Z <p>Let $f:X\rightarrow Y$ be a birational morphism between smooth varieties and $F$ a torsion free sheaf. Is $f_{\ast} F$ torsion free? If not, are there conditions on either $F$, $f$, $X$ or $Y$ that could ensure the torsion freeness of $F$? For example if $f$ is surj. and $F$ is the canonical bundle on $X$ a theorem of Kollar ensure the torsion freeness of $f_*(\omega_X)$.</p> http://mathoverflow.net/questions/64887/torsion-freeness-and-birational-maps/64890#64890 Answer by Francesco Polizzi for Torsion freeness and birational maps Francesco Polizzi 2011-05-13T11:19:55Z 2011-05-13T12:49:25Z <p>Actually much more is true. In fact there is the following result, whose proof can be found in </p> <p>[Grothendieck - Dieudonné: EGA 1 (Elements de Géométrie Algebrique), Proposition 8.4.5 page 351].</p> <p><strong>Proposition.</strong> Let $X$, $Y$ be two integral schemes and $f \colon X \to Y$ be a dominant morphism. Then for any torsion-free $\mathcal{O}_X$-module $\mathcal{F}$, the push-forward <code>$f_* \mathcal{F}$</code> is a torsion-free $\mathcal{O}_Y$-module. </p> <p>Kollar's result is much deeper since he proves the torsion-freeness of the higher direct images $R^if_* \omega_X$. </p> http://mathoverflow.net/questions/64887/torsion-freeness-and-birational-maps/64900#64900 Answer by Sándor Kovács for Torsion freeness and birational maps Sándor Kovács 2011-05-13T15:07:01Z 2011-05-13T15:07:01Z <p>As already mentioned by Donu and Francesco, you don't need such big guns as Kollár's theorem. Also, the Proposition Francesco cites might seem more serious than it is by virtue of being in EGA...</p> <p>The point is this: For an open set $V\subseteq Y$, the module $f_*\mathscr F(V)$ is the <strong>same</strong> as the module $\mathscr F(f^{-1}V)$. Being torsion on an integral scheme is equivalent to having a non-empty support that is strictly smaller than the ambient scheme. If $f$ is surjective this already gives you what you want, and if it is only dominant you need to think a little more to see that the statement is true. </p>