algebraic geometry Algebraic geometry is a branch of mathematics, classically studying zeros of multivariate polynomials. Modern algebraic geometry is based on the use of abstract algebraic techniques, mainly from commutative algebra, for solving geometrical ...

, a branch of

mathematics Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...

, the étale spectrum of a

commutative ring In mathematics, a commutative ring is a ring in which the multiplication operation is commutative. The study of commutative rings is called commutative algebra. Complementarily, noncommutative algebra is the study of ring properties that are not sp ...

or an E_∞-ring, denoted by Spec^ét or Spét, is an analog of the

prime spectrum In commutative algebra, the prime spectrum (or simply the spectrum) of a ring ''R'' is the set of all prime ideals of ''R'', and is usually denoted by \operatorname; in algebraic geometry it is simultaneously a topological space equipped with the ...

Spec of a commutative ring that is obtained by replacing

Zariski topology In algebraic geometry and commutative algebra, the Zariski topology is a topology which is primarily defined by its closed sets. It is very different from topologies which are commonly used in the real or complex analysis; in particular, it is n ...

with

étale topology In algebraic geometry, the étale topology is a Grothendieck topology on the category of schemes which has properties similar to the Euclidean topology, but unlike the Euclidean topology, it is also defined in positive characteristic. The étale ...

. The precise definition depends on one's formalism. But the idea of the definition itself is simple. The usual prime spectrum Spec enjoys the relation: for a

scheme A scheme is a systematic plan for the implementation of a certain idea. Scheme or schemer may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''The Scheme'' (TV series), a BBC Scotland documentary series * The Scheme (band), an English pop band * ''The Schem ...

(''S'', ''O''_''S'') and a commutative ring ''A'', :

\operatorname(S, \operatorname(A)) \simeq \operatorname(A, \Gamma(S, \mathcal_S))

where Hom on the left is for

morphisms of schemes In mathematics, particularly in category theory, a morphism is a structure-preserving map from one mathematical structure to another one of the same type. The notion of morphism recurs in much of contemporary mathematics. In set theory, morphisms a ...

and Hom on the right

ring homomorphism In ring theory, a branch of abstract algebra, a ring homomorphism is a structure-preserving function between two rings. More explicitly, if ''R'' and ''S'' are rings, then a ring homomorphism is a function such that ''f'' is: :addition preservi ...

s. This is to say Spec is the

right adjoint In mathematics, specifically category theory, adjunction is a relationship that two functors may exhibit, intuitively corresponding to a weak form of equivalence between two related categories. Two functors that stand in this relationship are kn ...

to the

global section In mathematics, a sheaf is a tool for systematically tracking data (such as sets, abelian groups, rings) attached to the open sets of a topological space and defined locally with regard to them. For example, for each open set, the data could ...

functor In mathematics, specifically category theory, a functor is a Map (mathematics), mapping between Category (mathematics), categories. Functors were first considered in algebraic topology, where algebraic objects (such as the fundamental group) ar ...

(S, \mathcal_S) \mapsto \Gamma(S, \mathcal_S)

. So, roughly, one can (and typically does) simply define the étale spectrum Spét to be the right adjoint to the global section functor on the category of "spaces" with étale topology. Over a

field of characteristic zero In mathematics, a field is a set on which addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division are defined and behave as the corresponding operations on rational and real numbers do. A field is thus a fundamental algebraic structure which is wi ...

, K. Behrend constructs the étale spectrum of a

graded algebra In mathematics, in particular abstract algebra, a graded ring is a ring such that the underlying additive group is a direct sum of abelian groups R_i such that R_i R_j \subseteq R_. The index set is usually the set of nonnegative integers or the se ...

called a perfect resolving algebra. He then defines a

differential graded scheme In algebraic geometry, a derived scheme is a pair (X, \mathcal) consisting of a topological space ''X'' and a sheaf \mathcal either of simplicial commutative rings or of commutative ring spectra on ''X'' such that (1) the pair (X, \pi_0 \mathcal) i ...

(a type of a

derived scheme In algebraic geometry, a derived scheme is a pair (X, \mathcal) consisting of a topological space ''X'' and a sheaf \mathcal either of simplicial commutative rings or of commutative ring spectra on ''X'' such that (1) the pair (X, \pi_0 \mathcal) ...

) as one that is étale-locally such an étale spectrum. The notion makes sense in the usual algebraic geometry but appears more frequently in the context of

derived algebraic geometry Derived algebraic geometry is a branch of mathematics that generalizes algebraic geometry to a situation where commutative rings, which provide local charts, are replaced by either differential graded algebras (over \mathbb), simplicial commutative ...

Notes

References

* Algebraic geometry {{algebraic-geometry-stub