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Questions tagged [picard-group]

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34 votes
4 answers
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What is the right definition of the Picard group of a commutative ring?

This is a rather technical question with no particular importance in any case of actual interest to me, but I've been writing up some notes on commutative algebra and flailing on this point for some ...
Pete L. Clark's user avatar
25 votes
2 answers
5k views

Torsion-freeness of Picard group

Let $X$ be a complex normal projective variety. Is there any sufficient condition to guarantee the torsion-freeness of Picard group of $X$? One technique I sometimes use is following: If $X$ can be ...
Moon's user avatar
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22 votes
4 answers
2k views

Two questions about finiteness of ideal classes in abstract number rings

Let us say that an abstract number ring is an integral domain $R$ which is not a field, and which has the "finite norms" property: for any nonzero ideal $I$ of $R$, the quotient $R/I$ is finite. (I ...
Pete L. Clark's user avatar
21 votes
1 answer
1k views

Does every relative curve have a Picard scheme?

More precisely: Let $X \to S$ be a smooth proper morphism of schemes such that the geometric fibers are integral curves of genus $g$. Must the fppf relative Picard functor $\operatorname{\bf ...
Bjorn Poonen's user avatar
  • 23.8k
18 votes
1 answer
802 views

Relative Picard functor for the Zariski topology

I'm trying to understand better the relative Picard functor, as defined, for example, in Kleiman's article. Let $X \to S$ be a smooth projective morphism of schemes whose geometric fibres are ...
Daniel Loughran's user avatar
17 votes
1 answer
1k views

Is the ring of all cyclotomic integers a Bezout domain?

My previous question about the theorem (apparently due to Dedekind -- thanks, Arturo Magidin!) that the ring $\overline{\mathbb{Z}}$ of all algebraic integers is a Bezout domain got me thinking about ...
Pete L. Clark's user avatar
16 votes
1 answer
756 views

Postnikov invariants of the Brauer 3-group

Given a commutative ring $k$ there is a bicategory with algebras over $k$ as objects, bimodules as morphisms, bimodule homomorphisms as 2-morphisms. This is a monoidal bicategory, since we can ...
John Baez's user avatar
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15 votes
6 answers
2k views

Seeking Noetherian normal domain with vanishing Picard group but not a UFD

Once again, the question says it all. My motivation is the article on factorization I am writing. I want to explain (as well as to understand!) why for normal Noetherian domains of dimension greater ...
Pete L. Clark's user avatar
15 votes
2 answers
3k views

Picard Groups of Moduli Problems

First, yes, I've seen Mumford's paper of this title. I'm actually interested in specific ones, and looking for really the most elementary/elegant proof possible. I'm told that for $g\geq 2$ it is ...
Charles Siegel's user avatar
14 votes
2 answers
3k views

Picard group of a singular projective curve

Let $X$ be a singular irreducible projective curve over an algebraically closed field and $\pi : \widetilde{X} \to X$ the normalization morphism. In the book on Neron models by Bosch et al. (I have ...
Justin Campbell's user avatar
14 votes
1 answer
2k views

Picard groups of non-projective varieties

As far as I know, the main representability result for the relative Picard functor $Pic_{X/k}$, for a noeth. sep. scheme of finite type over a field $k$ is: If $X$ is proper then $Pic_{X/k}$ is ...
Lars's user avatar
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12 votes
2 answers
1k views

Why are ordinary spheres not strictly invertible?

Introduction This question is about Picard spectra for the symmetric monoidal $\infty$-category of spectra. We say that a spectrum $X$ is invertible if there is another spectrum $Y$ such that $X\...
Neil Strickland's user avatar
11 votes
1 answer
1k views

Restriction of the Picard group of a surface to a curve

In a paper by Griffiths and Harris on the Noether-Lefschetz theorem, they use the following fact which they don't comment as if it is obvious: For a general (smooth) surface $S$ in $\mathbb{P}^3$ ...
kostya's user avatar
  • 111
11 votes
1 answer
237 views

Are algebras with invertible linear duals always Frobenius?

Let $A$ be a finite dimensional algebra over a ground field $k$. The linear dual $A^* = Hom_k(A,k)$ is naturally an $A$-$A$ bimodule. I am interested in those algebras such that $A^*$ is an invertible ...
Chris Schommer-Pries's user avatar
10 votes
2 answers
1k views

Picard group of a finite type $\mathbb{Z}$-algebra

Let $A$ be a finitely generated $\mathbb{Z}$-algebra. Is $\operatorname{Pic}(A)$ finitely generated (as an abelian group)? Thoughts: We may assume that $A$ is reduced since $\operatorname{Pic}(A) = \...
Minseon Shin's user avatar
  • 2,017
10 votes
2 answers
1k views

Picard group of a cubic hypersurface

Consider the following cubic hypersurface in $\mathbb{P}^5$: $$ X = \{z_0z_3z_5-z_1^2z_5-z_0z_4^2+2z_1z_2z_4-z_2^2z_3 = 0\}\subset\mathbb{P}^5 $$ The singular locus of $X$ is the Veronese surface $V\...
user avatar
10 votes
1 answer
458 views

Class numbers of functions fields and spanning trees

In Discrete groups, expanding graphs, and invariant measures (in the notes at the end of Chapter 7), Lubotzky mentions that certain estimates for the number of spanning trees $\kappa(G)$ of a $k$-...
Antoine Labelle's user avatar
10 votes
1 answer
432 views

Why is the theorem of the base mostly cited only for smooth proper varieties

This is a very soft question, and I'm not sure what I expect as an answer. In SGA6, Expose XIII, Theoreme 5.1 it is proven that, if $X$ is a proper scheme over a field $k$, then $NS(X)$ is finitely ...
Gerard's user avatar
  • 181
10 votes
1 answer
857 views

Picard group generated by effective divisors: counterexample?

Let $X$ be an integral variety defined over an algebraically closed field $k$ of characteristic 0 with finitely generated Picard group $Pic(X)$ and such that $k[X]^\times=k^\times$ (i.e. the only ...
Marta's user avatar
  • 101
10 votes
1 answer
504 views

Picard group of Drinfeld upper half space

Let $K$ be a $p$-adic field and $\Omega^{(n)}_K$ the $n$-dimensional Drinfeld upper half space over $K$ (which is a rigid analytic space over $K$). Is the Picard group of $\Omega^{(n)}_K$ known? ...
naf's user avatar
  • 10.5k
9 votes
2 answers
695 views

On a morphism from the Brauer group to the Picard group

Suppose that $k$ is a commutative ring and that $A$ is an Azumaya $k$-algebra. Then there is a well-known morphism from $Aut_{Alg_k}(A)$, the group of algebra automorphisms, to the Picard group $Pic(k)...
Tyler Lawson's user avatar
  • 52.7k
9 votes
1 answer
498 views

Pic^0 and H^0(K,Pic^0)

Let $K$ be a field and $C$ a smooth and projective curve over $K$. Then the kernel $Pic^0(C)$ of the degree map injects into $H^0(K,Pic^0_C)$, where $Pic_C^0$ is the connected component of the Picard ...
Thomas Geisser's user avatar
9 votes
2 answers
1k views

Galois invariant Picard group elements

Let $X$ be a smooth variety over a perfect field $k$ with $X(k) \neq \emptyset$. Then is the natural map \begin{equation} \mathrm{Pic}(X) \to (\mathrm{Pic}(X_{\bar{k}}))^{\mathrm{Gal}(\bar{k}/k)} \...
Daniel Loughran's user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
736 views

Del Pezzo surfaces and Picard-Lefschetz theory

Let $X$ be a smooth compact del Pezzo surface. For instance, one can consider the most classical case of a cubic surface. It is well known that the Picard lattice of $X$ is related to a root system (...
Daniil Rudenko's user avatar
9 votes
2 answers
839 views

$Pic$ of the stack of elliptic curves vs. $Pic$ of the coarse space

There's a natural map $f:\overline{\mathcal{M}}_{1,1}\to \overline{M}_{1,1}\cong \mathbb{P}^1$ from the stack of elliptic curves to the coarse space. Both spaces have $Pic=\mathbb{Z}$ hence $f^*:\...
IMeasy's user avatar
  • 3,779
9 votes
1 answer
343 views

Picard-surjectivity and Morita-equivalence

Let us say that an algebra $A$ over a field $k$ is Picard-surjective if the canonical map $$ \mathrm{Aut}(A) \rightarrow \mathrm{Pic}(A)$$ is surjective. Here $\mathrm{Pic}(A)$ denotes the group of ...
Matthias Ludewig's user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
1k views

Picard group and reduced schemes

$\DeclareMathOperator\Pic{Pic}$If $A$ is a ring, then we know that $\Pic(A)=\Pic(A_\text{red})$, but for a scheme $X$ it is false in general. On the other hand, we have that $\Pic(X)=H^{1}_{et}(X,\...
prochet's user avatar
  • 3,472
9 votes
1 answer
491 views

Does a semistable curve descend to a regular base?

Let $f\colon X \rightarrow S$ be a semistable curve of genus $g \ge 0$. Being a semistable curve means that $f$ is a morphism of schemes such that $f$ is proper, flat, and of finite presentation; The ...
Question Mark's user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
607 views

Bézout ring with non-trivial Picard group?

[I asked this on stackexchange here a few weeks ago to no response] A ring is called Bézout when its finitely generated ideals are principal. Q: Is there a nice example of a Bézout ring $R$ with ...
Badam Baplan's user avatar
9 votes
0 answers
3k views

Definition of relative Picard functor

Let $X \to S$ be a morphism of schemes. The relative Picard functor from schemes over $S$ to abelian groups is usually defined by the formula $T \mapsto \text{Pic}(X \times_S T)/p^{*}\text{Pic}(T)$, ...
Justin Campbell's user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
814 views

Are there varieties with non finitely generated Picard group and vanishing irregularity?

Let $X$ be a smooth projective variety over an algebraically closed field $k$. Can it happen that $q(X) := \dim H^1(X,\mathcal O_X) =0$ and $\textrm{Pic} \,X$ is not finitely generated? Certainly, ...
Pitcher's user avatar
  • 83
8 votes
1 answer
2k views

Picard group of toric varieties

I am trying to understand how to obtain the Picard group for general toric varieties. So far, I have been using information found in https://arxiv.org/pdf/1003.5217.pdf . Here, a toric variety has ...
Mtheorist's user avatar
  • 1,155
8 votes
1 answer
255 views

Obstructions to Picard-graded groups of maps

Suppose $(C,\odot,\Bbb I)$ is an additive category with a compatible symmetric monoidal structure and $Pic(C)$ is the group of isomorphism classes of objects which have an inverse under $\odot$. For $\...
Tyler Lawson's user avatar
  • 52.7k
8 votes
0 answers
167 views

On a smooth curve $C$, when is $K_C \sim_\mathbb{Q} (2g-2)P$?

Let $C$ be a smooth curve of genus $g$ over $\mathbb{C}$. I am interested in the following property: There exists a point $P \in C$ such that $K_C \sim_\mathbb{Q} (2g-2)P$. Equivalently, $K_C - (2g-2)...
Stefano's user avatar
  • 625
7 votes
6 answers
5k views

Picard group, Fundamental group, and deformation

One of the most elementary theorems about Picard group is probably $\mathrm{Pic} (X \times \mathbb{A}^n) \cong \mathrm{Pic} X$ and $\mathrm{Pic} (X \times \mathbb{P}^n) \cong \mathrm{Pic} X \times \...
Brian's user avatar
  • 1,510
7 votes
1 answer
543 views

Picard group of $\mathcal{M}_{0,n}$

Let $\mathcal{M}_{0,n}$ be the complement of the boundary of the Mumford-Knudsen compactification of the moduli space of genus zero, n-pointed curves. Is $Pic(\mathcal{M}_{0,n})$ trivial?
IMeasy's user avatar
  • 3,779
7 votes
1 answer
454 views

Galois invariant line bundles on a product of varieties

Let $k$ be a field with separable algebraic closure $k^{\rm s}$ and corresponding absolute Galois group $\varGamma={\rm Gal}(k^{\rm s}/\,k)$ and let $X$ and $Y$ be geometrically connected and ...
Cristian D. Gonzalez-Aviles's user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
2k views

Picard group vs class group

The question. Let $R$ be a commutative ring. Let $M$ be an $R$-module with the property that there exists an $R$-module $N$ such that $M\otimes_R N\cong R$. Does there always exist an ideal $I$ of $R$ ...
Kevin Buzzard's user avatar
7 votes
0 answers
245 views

Albanese morphism induces an isomorphism on global $1$-forms

Let $X$ be a smooth projective variety over a field $k$ of characteristic zero equipped with a point $e\in X(k)$. There is Albanese morphism $a:X\to \mathrm{Alb}\,X$ which is initial among pointed ...
SashaP's user avatar
  • 7,377
7 votes
0 answers
294 views

Picard scheme of varieties over imperfect fields

Let $k$ be a field and $X$ a proper $k$-scheme. It is a theorem of Murre and Oort that the Picard functor is representable by a $k$-group scheme $\operatorname{Pic}_{X/k}$ which is locally of finite ...
Lars's user avatar
  • 4,450
6 votes
1 answer
1k views

Reference request: Generic k3 surface has Picard number 1

I keep running into the statement that "the generic k3 surface has Picard rank 1". For instance the answer of this question (end) and this paper (following Example 1.1) or this paper (proof ...
user147163's user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
400 views

adjacency matrix of a graph and lines on quartic surfaces

Suppose you are given a smooth quartic surface $X$ in $\mathbb P^3$. I would like to find an upper bound for the number of lines on $X$ in the case that there is no plane intersecting the curves in ...
Davide Cesare Veniani's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
1k views

What does the Riemann-Hurwitz formula tell us on the Picard variety

Let $f:X\longrightarrow Y$ be a finite separable morphism of smooth projective integral curves over an algebraically closed field. Then we have a linear equivalence of Weil divisors on $X$: $$ K_X=f^\...
Ariyan Javanpeykar's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
403 views

Picard group of derived category of sheaves

Let $X$ be a topological space and $R$ be a commutative ring with unit, $D(X,R)$ is the derived category of unbounded complexes of sheaves of $R$-modules. Moreover we suppose that $X$ is a stratified ...
David C's user avatar
  • 9,870
6 votes
1 answer
882 views

Are Picard stacks group objects in the category of algebraic stacks

I've been wondering about what a "group algebraic stack" should be, and ran into the notion of a Picard stack. I'm slightly confused by the terminology here. Given an algebraic stack $\mathcal X$ ...
Christian's user avatar
  • 193
6 votes
1 answer
458 views

An example where $Pic(X) = H^0(k,Pic(\overline{X}))$?

Let $X$ be a geometrically integral smooth projective variety over a number field $k$. Then if $X$ is everywhere locally soluble, we have $Pic(X) = H^0(k,Pic (\overline{X}))$, where $\overline{X}=X \...
Daniel Loughran's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
461 views

Proper scheme such that every vector bundle is trivial

It is claimed here that there exist proper schemes (probably over a field but not explicitly stated) with trivial Picard group. This means that every locally free $O_X$-module of rank 1 is trivial. ...
user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
416 views

Severi's theorem of base and Hilbert polynomial

Let $X$ be a smooth projective variety over $\mathbb{C}$ satisfying $H^1(\mathcal{O}_X)=0$. Fix $i:X \to \mathbb{P}^n$ a closed immersion and let $\mathcal{O}_X(1)$ be the corresponding very ample ...
Ron's user avatar
  • 2,126
6 votes
1 answer
1k views

Picard groups and birational morphisms

Let $f:X\rightarrow Y$ be a birational morphism of projective varieties. Assume that $Pic(X)$ is a free abelian group generated by $n$ divisors $D_1,...,D_n$. Under which hypothesis on $X$ and $Y$ is ...
user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
868 views

Relatively numerically trivial divisor

Hi, Let $f : X \rightarrow Y$ a projective morphism of quasi-projective algebraic varieties over $\mathbb{C}$. Assume that $X$ is smooth, that $Y$ is normal and that: $$\textbf{R} f_* \mathcal{O}_X ...
Johan's user avatar
  • 213