The Stacks project

Proposition 10.162.15 (Nagata). Let $R$ be a ring. The following are equivalent:

  1. $R$ is a Nagata ring,

  2. any finite type $R$-algebra is Nagata, and

  3. $R$ is universally Japanese and Noetherian.

Proof. It is clear that a Noetherian universally Japanese ring is universally Nagata (i.e., condition (2) holds). Let $R$ be a Nagata ring. We will show that any finitely generated $R$-algebra $S$ is Nagata. This will prove the proposition.

Step 1. There exists a sequence of ring maps $R = R_0 \to R_1 \to R_2 \to \ldots \to R_ n = S$ such that each $R_ i \to R_{i + 1}$ is generated by a single element. Hence by induction it suffices to prove $S$ is Nagata if $S \cong R[x]/I$.

Step 2. Let $\mathfrak q \subset S$ be a prime of $S$, and let $\mathfrak p \subset R$ be the corresponding prime of $R$. We have to show that $S/\mathfrak q$ is N-2. Hence we have reduced to the proving the following: (*) Given a Nagata domain $R$ and a monogenic extension $R \subset S$ of domains then $S$ is N-2.

Step 3. Let $R$ be a Nagata domain and $R \subset S$ a monogenic extension of domains. Let $R \subset R'$ be the integral closure of $R$ in its fraction field. Let $S'$ be the subring of the fraction field of $S$ generated by $R'$ and $S$. As $R'$ is finite over $R$ (by the Nagata property) also $S'$ is finite over $S$. Since $S$ is Noetherian it suffices to prove that $S'$ is N-2 (Lemma 10.161.7). Hence we have reduced to proving the following: (**) Given a normal Nagata domain $R$ and a monogenic extension $R \subset S$ of domains then $S$ is N-2.

Step 4: Let $R$ be a normal Nagata domain and let $R \subset S$ be a monogenic extension of domains. Suppose the induced extension of fraction fields of $R$ and $S$ is purely transcendental. In this case $S = R[x]$. By Lemma 10.161.13 we see that $S$ is N-2. Hence we have reduced to proving the following: (**) Given a normal Nagata domain $R$ and a monogenic extension $R \subset S$ of domains inducing a finite extension of fraction fields then $S$ is N-2.

Step 5. Let $R$ be a normal Nagata domain and let $R \subset S$ be a monogenic extension of domains inducing a finite extension of fraction fields $L/K$. Choose an element $x \in S$ which generates $S$ as an $R$-algebra. Let $M/L$ be a finite extension of fields. Let $R'$ be the integral closure of $R$ in $M$. Then the integral closure $S'$ of $S$ in $M$ is equal to the integral closure of $R'[x]$ in $M$. Also the fraction field of $R'$ is $M$ and $R \subset R'$ is finite (by the Nagata property of $R$). This implies that $R'$ is a Nagata ring (Lemma 10.162.5). To show that $S'$ is finite over $S$ is the same as showing that $S'$ is finite over $R'[x]$. Replace $R$ by $R'$ and $S$ by $R'[x]$ to reduce to the following statement: (***) Given a normal Nagata domain $R$ with fraction field $K$, and $x \in K$, the ring $S \subset K$ generated by $R$ and $x$ is N-1.

Step 6. Let $R$ be a normal Nagata domain with fraction field $K$. Let $x = b/a \in K$. We have to show that the ring $S \subset K$ generated by $R$ and $x$ is N-1. Note that $S_ a \cong R_ a$ is normal. Hence by Lemma 10.161.15 it suffices to show that $S_{\mathfrak m}$ is N-1 for every maximal ideal $\mathfrak m$ of $S$.

With assumptions as in the preceding paragraph, pick such a maximal ideal and set $\mathfrak n = R \cap \mathfrak m$. The residue field extension $\kappa (\mathfrak m)/\kappa (\mathfrak n)$ is finite (Theorem 10.34.1) and generated by the image of $x$. Hence there exists a monic polynomial $f(X) = X^ d + \sum _{i = 1, \ldots , d} a_ iX^{d -i}$ with $f(x) \in \mathfrak m$. Let $K''/K$ be a finite extension of fields such that $f(X)$ splits completely in $K''[X]$. Let $R'$ be the integral closure of $R$ in $K''$. Let $S' \subset K''$ be the subring generated by $R'$ and $x$. As $R$ is Nagata we see $R'$ is finite over $R$ and Nagata (Lemma 10.162.5). Moreover, $S'$ is finite over $S$. If for every maximal ideal $\mathfrak m'$ of $S'$ the local ring $S'_{\mathfrak m'}$ is N-1, then $S'_{\mathfrak m}$ is N-1 by Lemma 10.161.15, which in turn implies that $S_{\mathfrak m}$ is N-1 by Lemma 10.161.7. After replacing $R$ by $R'$ and $S$ by $S'$, and $\mathfrak m$ by any of the maximal ideals $\mathfrak m'$ lying over $\mathfrak m$ we reach the situation where the polynomial $f$ above split completely: $f(X) = \prod _{i = 1, \ldots , d} (X - a_ i)$ with $a_ i \in R$. Since $f(x) \in \mathfrak m$ we see that $x - a_ i \in \mathfrak m$ for some $i$. Finally, after replacing $x$ by $x - a_ i$ we may assume that $x \in \mathfrak m$.

To recapitulate: $R$ is a normal Nagata domain with fraction field $K$, $x \in K$ and $S$ is the subring of $K$ generated by $x$ and $R$, finally $\mathfrak m \subset S$ is a maximal ideal with $x \in \mathfrak m$. We have to show $S_{\mathfrak m}$ is N-1.

We will show that Lemma 10.162.12 applies to the local ring $S_{\mathfrak m}$ and the element $x$. This will imply that $S_{\mathfrak m}$ is analytically unramified, whereupon we see that it is N-1 by Lemma 10.162.10.

We have to check properties (1), (2), (3)(a) and (3)(b). Property (1) is trivial. Let $I = \mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(R[X] \to S)$ where $X \mapsto x$. We claim that $I$ is generated by all linear forms $aX - b$ such that $ax = b$ in $K$. Clearly all these linear forms are in $I$. If $g = a_ d X^ d + \ldots a_1 X + a_0 \in I$, then we see that $a_ dx$ is integral over $R$ (Lemma 10.123.1) and hence $b := a_ dx \in R$ as $R$ is normal. Then $g - (a_ dX - b)X^{d - 1} \in I$ and we win by induction on the degree. As a consequence we see that

\[ S/xS = R[X]/(X, I) = R/J \]

where

\[ J = \{ b \in R \mid ax = b \text{ for some }a \in R\} = xR \cap R \]

By Lemma 10.157.6 we see that $S/xS = R/J$ has no embedded primes as an $R$-module, hence as an $R/J$-module, hence as an $S/xS$-module, hence as an $S$-module. This proves property (2). Take such an associated prime $\mathfrak q \subset S$ with the property $\mathfrak q \subset \mathfrak m$ (so that it is an associated prime of $S_{\mathfrak m}/xS_{\mathfrak m}$ – it does not matter for the arguments). Then $\mathfrak q$ is minimal over $xS$ and hence has height $1$. By the sequence of equalities above we see that $\mathfrak p = R \cap \mathfrak q$ is an associated prime of $R/J$, and so has height $1$ (see Lemma 10.157.6). Thus $R_{\mathfrak p}$ is a discrete valuation ring and therefore $R_{\mathfrak p} \subset S_{\mathfrak q}$ is an equality. This shows that $S_{\mathfrak q}$ is regular. This proves property (3)(a). Finally, $(S/\mathfrak q)_{\mathfrak m}$ is a localization of $S/\mathfrak q$, which is a quotient of $S/xS = R/J$. Hence $(S/\mathfrak q)_{\mathfrak m}$ is a localization of a quotient of the Nagata ring $R$, hence Nagata (Lemmas 10.162.5 and 10.162.6) and hence analytically unramified (Lemma 10.162.13). This shows (3)(b) holds and we are done. $\square$


Comments (4)

Comment #2177 by Mat on

To reduce to (***) at the end of step 5 we replace S by R'[x].

Comment #4304 by bogdan on

Two small typos:

1) The phrase ''Let be the subring...'' should read ''Let be the subring...''

2) The sentence ''We claim that is generated by all linear forms such that in '' should read ''We claim that is generated by all linear forms such that in ''.

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  • 2 comment(s) on Section 10.162: Nagata rings

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