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Dear all,

Here is a problem I came across recently. Let $f:X\to Y$ be a proper morphism of Noetherian schemes and assume that $f_*\mathcal{O}_X\cong \mathcal{O}_Y$. Now let $S$ be a subscheme of $Y$, denote $T:=S\times_YX$ and let $f':T\to S$ be the projection.

Is it then true that $f'_*\mathcal{O}_T\cong \mathcal{O}_S$? If not, can you give an example where this does not work? In that case, are there may be general extra conditions on $X,Y$ and $f$ such that it does work?

edited Apr 12 2011 at 14:35

asked Apr 12 2011 at 12:33

Bart van den Dries
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It's not true in general. Basically, you ask whether $f$ is cohomologically flat (in degree zero), see mathoverflow.net/questions/61289/… For a specific counterexample and some discussion, see mathoverflow.net/questions/56019/… Namely (quoting from Allen Knutson's answer to last question): let $f$ be a flat family of curves degenerating into a curve with an embedded point. – t3suji Apr 12 2011 at 12:42

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An example is an elliptic fibration with wild fibres. See paper of Bombieri and Mumford on classification of surfaces in positive characteristic. – Torsten Ekedahl Apr 12 2011 at 13:05

@Ekedahl. Thank you, that is a nice example! Do you also happen to know an example in characteristic 0? – Bart van den Dries Apr 19 2011 at 12:13

@Bart: Not for elliptic fibrations, wild fibres only exist in positive characteristic. – Torsten Ekedahl May 3 2011 at 17:54

Keerthi Madapusi Pera · Answer 1 · 2011-04-12 13:02:45Z UTC

The property you want is called cohomological flatness. See this question. You can check out Hartshorne's chapter on semi-continuity and base change, but I would recommend Mumford's quick treatment in his book 'Lectures on curves on an algebraic surface' (this is just a great book in general). There are also notes by Nitin Nitsure in FGA Explained in his chapter on the Hilbert scheme. Of course, you can also always look at EGA III.

Direct image of structure sheaf under base change

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