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Let $A$ be a complete, Noetherian, local ring with finite residue field of characteristic $p$. If $F$ is a non-Archimedean local field, then we will denote the ring of integers of $F$ by $\mathcal{O}_F$. Let $I$ denote the intersection of kernels of all (local) morphisms $A\to \mathcal{O}_F$ where $F$ runs over all non-Archimedean local field of zero or $p$.

Question: Is $I=(0)$?

In other words, is a complete local ring determined by its values in local fields? Any comments and reference would be appreciated. The answer to the question is Yes when $A$ is flat over $\mathbb{Z}_p$ and reduced, cf. Corollary 2.3 Serre’s modularity conjecture (II).

Edit: As pointed out in the comment, I should assume that $A$ is reduced.

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    $\begingroup$ You should (at least) add the hypothesis that $A$ is reduced. $\endgroup$ Commented May 14, 2023 at 12:22
  • $\begingroup$ @JasonStarr Could you give some references for that? Also, do you have a counterexample for the question when $A$ is not reduced? thanks. $\endgroup$
    – Nobody
    Commented May 14, 2023 at 12:27
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    $\begingroup$ The point is just that any homomorphism to a reduced ring sends all nilpotents to $0$ and thus $I$ necessarily contains all the nilpotents of $A$, so any non-reduced (complete Noetherian local) ring works as a counterexample. $\endgroup$
    – Will Sawin
    Commented May 14, 2023 at 12:36

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The paper you cite itself cites Corollary 10.5.8 of EGA 4, part III. Corollary 10.5.9 says the points of dimension $1$ in $\operatorname{Spec} A$ are dense in $\operatorname{Spec} A - \mathfrak m$. Each point of dimension $1$ corresponds to a homomorphism to a complete local ring of dimension $1$, whose field of fractions is a local field, and the intersection of the kernels corresponds to an ideal whose vanishing set is dense, which if $A$ is reduced must be the zero ideal.

See also 10.5.10 which explains how to use these local rings to form a basis for the topology on $A$.

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