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Let $C$ be a smooth geometrically integral affine curve. This question concerns the smooth completion $C_1$ of $C$, both defined over a number field $k$.

We know that given any smooth projective geometrically integral curve $X$, and for a finite number of points $\{p_1,...,p_r\} \subset X$, the curve $X\backslash \{p_1,...,p_r\}$ is affine. However, is $C_1 \backslash C$ always a finite number of points?

Furthermore, we have the inclusion of adelic points $C(\mathbb{A}_k) \subset C_1(\mathbb{A}_k)$. Is it possible that this inclusion is an equality? Or is it possible that this inclusion is in fact false to begin with? The latter question arised because I was worried about the archimedean places, even though I'm not certain if that will be a problem.

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    $\begingroup$ The answer to the first question is yes. To define $C_1$ you embed $C$ into some affine space $\mathbb{A}^n$, take its closure $C_0$ in $\mathbb{P}^n\supset \mathbb{A}^n$, and normalize. Then $C_0\smallsetminus C$ is a hyperplane section of $C_0$, hence finite, and remains finite in the normalization. $\endgroup$
    – abx
    Commented Feb 27, 2021 at 8:22
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    $\begingroup$ Also the complement is a closed subset of $C_1$, so the only possibilities are finite or all of $C_1$ (meaning $C = \varnothing$)... $\endgroup$ Commented Feb 27, 2021 at 16:34

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Yes, in fact whenever $C$ is a non-empty Zariski open inside a smooth connected curve $C_1$, then the complement $C_1\setminus C$ is finite. This is easy to see in the case that $C$ is affine, since in that case $C_1=D(f)$ is the locus of non-vanishing of a non-zero algebraic function $f$ on $C_1$. So the complement $C_1\setminus C$ is the (reduced) vanishing locus of $f$, which has dimension $0$ and hence is finite.

The general case is easy to deduce from this, either by covering $C_1$ with open affines, or by removing a single closed point $c$ of $C_1$ and using that $C_1\setminus\{c\}$ is affine, as you remark.

Regarding your final question, $C(\mathbb A_k)\to C_1(\mathbb A_k)$ is always injective, but will not be bijective in general. For injectivity, you have the general fact that if $C$ is a Zariski-open subscheme of a scheme $C_1$, then a morphism of schemes $f\colon S\to C_1$ factors through $C$ if and only if the image of $f$ is contained in the open subset $C\subseteq C_1$. (I thought this fact was in Hartshorne, but couldn't find it on a quick search.) This says that the map $C(S)\rightarrow C_1(S)$ is injective in general.

Now the map $C(\mathbb A_k)\to C_1(\mathbb A_k)$ certainly can be bijective in degenerate cases. For example, if $C_1(k_v)=\emptyset$ for some place $v$ of $k$, then both sets are empty and so any map between them is a bijection.

But you shouldn't suppose that this map will be bijective in any generality. For example, if $C_1\setminus C$ contains a $k$-rational point $c$, then the map $C(S)\hookrightarrow C_1(S)$ is not bijective for any non-empty $k$-scheme $S$. Indeed, the morphism $f\colon S\to C_1$ collapsing all of $S$ to the point $c$ is an element of $C_1(S)$ that does not lie in $C(S)$, since the image of $f$ is not contained in $C$.

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  • $\begingroup$ Thank you for your comprehensive answer. I think there were some typographical errors: For injectivity, ... of a scheme $C_1$, ... $f$ is contained in the open subset $C \subseteq C_1$. $\endgroup$
    – oleout
    Commented Feb 27, 2021 at 14:58
  • $\begingroup$ Yep, apologies for the typo! $\endgroup$ Commented Feb 28, 2021 at 9:24

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