The Stacks project

Proposition 10.63.6. Let $R$ be a Noetherian ring. Let $M$ be a finite $R$-module. The following sets of primes are the same:

  1. The minimal primes in the support of $M$.

  2. The minimal primes in $\text{Ass}(M)$.

  3. For any filtration $0 = M_0 \subset M_1 \subset \ldots \subset M_{n-1} \subset M_ n = M$ with $M_ i/M_{i-1} \cong R/\mathfrak p_ i$ the minimal primes of the set $\{ \mathfrak p_ i\} $.

Proof. Choose a filtration as in (3). In Lemma 10.62.5 we have seen that the sets in (1) and (3) are equal.

Let $\mathfrak p$ be a minimal element of the set $\{ \mathfrak p_ i\} $. Let $i$ be minimal such that $\mathfrak p = \mathfrak p_ i$. Pick $m \in M_ i$, $m \not\in M_{i-1}$. The annihilator of $m$ is contained in $\mathfrak p_ i = \mathfrak p$ and contains $\mathfrak p_1 \mathfrak p_2 \ldots \mathfrak p_ i$. By our choice of $i$ and $\mathfrak p$ we have $\mathfrak p_ j \not\subset \mathfrak p$ for $j < i$ and hence we have $\mathfrak p_1 \mathfrak p_2 \ldots \mathfrak p_{i - 1} \not\subset \mathfrak p_ i$. Pick $f \in \mathfrak p_1 \mathfrak p_2 \ldots \mathfrak p_{i - 1}$, $f \not\in \mathfrak p$. Then $fm$ has annihilator $\mathfrak p$. In this way we see that $\mathfrak p$ is an associated prime of $M$. By Lemma 10.63.2 we have $\text{Ass}(M) \subset \text{Supp}(M)$ and hence $\mathfrak p$ is minimal in $\text{Ass}(M)$. Thus the set of primes in (1) is contained in the set of primes of (2).

Let $\mathfrak p$ be a minimal element of $\text{Ass}(M)$. Since $\text{Ass}(M) \subset \text{Supp}(M)$ there is a minimal element $\mathfrak q$ of $\text{Supp}(M)$ with $\mathfrak q \subset \mathfrak p$. We have just shown that $\mathfrak q \in \text{Ass}(M)$. Hence $\mathfrak q = \mathfrak p$ by minimality of $\mathfrak p$. Thus the set of primes in (2) is contained in the set of primes of (1). $\square$


Comments (2)

Comment #8382 by Fawzy N. Hegab on

In the phrase: "By Lemma 0586 we have and hence is minimal in ", I think minimality of in follows from the inclusion {}, not .

Comment #8995 by on

We already know that (1) and (3) are equal. So all that the argument does is to show that the prime is an associated prime and then we of course get that it is minimal as an associated prime. So, I think it is fine as written.

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  • 14 comment(s) on Section 10.63: Associated primes

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