Lemma 5.16.1. Let X be a Noetherian topological space. The constructible sets in X are precisely the finite unions of locally closed subsets of X.
5.16 Constructible sets and Noetherian spaces
Proof. This follows immediately from Lemma 5.12.13. \square
Lemma 5.16.2. Let f : X \to Y be a continuous map of Noetherian topological spaces. If E \subset Y is constructible in Y, then f^{-1}(E) is constructible in X.
Proof. Follows immediately from Lemma 5.16.1 and the definition of a continuous map. \square
Lemma 5.16.3. Let X be a Noetherian topological space. Let E \subset X be a subset. The following are equivalent:
E is constructible in X, and
for every irreducible closed Z \subset X the intersection E \cap Z either contains a nonempty open of Z or is not dense in Z.
Proof. Assume E is constructible and Z \subset X irreducible closed. Then E \cap Z is constructible in Z by Lemma 5.16.2. Hence E \cap Z is a finite union of nonempty locally closed subsets T_ i of Z. Clearly if none of the T_ i is open in Z, then E \cap Z is not dense in Z. In this way we see that (1) implies (2).
Conversely, assume (2) holds. Consider the set \mathcal{S} of closed subsets Y of X such that E \cap Y is not constructible in Y. If \mathcal{S} \not= \emptyset , then it has a smallest element Y as X is Noetherian. Let Y = Y_1 \cup \ldots \cup Y_ r be the decomposition of Y into its irreducible components, see Lemma 5.9.2. If r > 1, then each Y_ i \cap E is constructible in Y_ i and hence a finite union of locally closed subsets of Y_ i. Thus E \cap Y is a finite union of locally closed subsets of Y too and we conclude that E \cap Y is constructible in Y by Lemma 5.16.1. This is a contradiction and so r = 1. If r = 1, then Y is irreducible, and by assumption (2) we see that E \cap Y either (a) contains an open V of Y or (b) is not dense in Y. In case (a) we see, by minimality of Y, that E \cap (Y \setminus V) is a finite union of locally closed subsets of Y \setminus V. Thus E \cap Y is a finite union of locally closed subsets of Y and is constructible by Lemma 5.16.1. This is a contradiction and so we must be in case (b). In case (b) we see that E \cap Y = E \cap Y' for some proper closed subset Y' \subset Y. By minimality of Y we see that E \cap Y' is a finite union of locally closed subsets of Y' and we see that E \cap Y' = E \cap Y is a finite union of locally closed subsets of Y and is constructible by Lemma 5.16.1. This contradiction finishes the proof of the lemma. \square
Lemma 5.16.4. Let X be a Noetherian topological space. Let x \in X. Let E \subset X be constructible in X. The following are equivalent:
E is a neighbourhood of x, and
for every irreducible closed subset Y of X which contains x the intersection E \cap Y is dense in Y.
Proof. It is clear that (1) implies (2). Assume (2). Consider the set \mathcal{S} of closed subsets Y of X containing x such that E \cap Y is not a neighbourhood of x in Y. If \mathcal{S} \not= \emptyset , then it has a minimal element Y as X is Noetherian. Suppose Y = Y_1 \cup Y_2 with two smaller nonempty closed subsets Y_1, Y_2. If x \in Y_ i for i = 1, 2, then Y_ i \cap E is a neighbourhood of x in Y_ i and we conclude Y \cap E is a neighbourhood of x in Y which is a contradiction. If x \in Y_1 but x \not\in Y_2 (say), then Y_1 \cap E is a neighbourhood of x in Y_1 and hence also in Y, which is a contradiction as well. We conclude that Y is irreducible closed. By assumption (2) we see that E \cap Y is dense in Y. Thus E \cap Y contains an open V of Y, see Lemma 5.16.3. If x \in V then E \cap Y is a neighbourhood of x in Y which is a contradiction. If x \not\in V, then Y' = Y \setminus V is a proper closed subset of Y containing x. By minimality of Y we see that E \cap Y' contains an open neighbourhood V' \subset Y' of x in Y'. But then V' \cup V is an open neighbourhood of x in Y contained in E, a contradiction. This contradiction finishes the proof of the lemma. \square
Lemma 5.16.5. Let X be a Noetherian topological space. Let E \subset X be a subset. The following are equivalent:
E is open in X, and
for every irreducible closed subset Y of X the intersection E \cap Y is either empty or contains a nonempty open of Y.
Proof. This follows formally from Lemmas 5.16.3 and 5.16.4. \square
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