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The Stacks project

10.88 Mittag-Leffler modules

A Mittag-Leffler module is (very roughly) a module which can be written as a directed limit whose dual is a Mittag-Leffler system. To be able to give a precise definition we need to do a bit of work.

Definition 10.88.1. Let (M_ i, f_{ij}) be a directed system of R-modules. We say that (M_ i, f_{ij}) is a Mittag-Leffler directed system of modules if each M_ i is an R-module of finite presentation and if for every R-module N, the inverse system

(\mathop{\mathrm{Hom}}\nolimits _ R(M_ i, N), \mathop{\mathrm{Hom}}\nolimits _ R(f_{ij}, N))

is Mittag-Leffler.

We are going to characterize those R-modules that are colimits of Mittag-Leffler directed systems of modules.

Definition 10.88.2. Let f: M \to N and g: M \to M' be maps of R-modules. Then we say g dominates f if for any R-module Q, we have \mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(f \otimes _ R \text{id}_ Q) \subset \mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(g \otimes _ R \text{id}_ Q).

It is enough to check this condition for finitely presented modules.

Lemma 10.88.3. Let f: M \to N and g: M \to M' be maps of R-modules. Then g dominates f if and only if for any finitely presented R-module Q, we have \mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(f \otimes _ R \text{id}_ Q) \subset \mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(g \otimes _ R \text{id}_ Q).

Proof. Suppose \mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(f \otimes _ R \text{id}_ Q) \subset \mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(g \otimes _ R \text{id}_ Q) for all finitely presented modules Q. If Q is an arbitrary module, write Q = \mathop{\mathrm{colim}}\nolimits _{i \in I} Q_ i as a colimit of a directed system of finitely presented modules Q_ i. Then \mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(f \otimes _ R \text{id}_{Q_ i}) \subset \mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(g \otimes _ R \text{id}_{Q_ i}) for all i. Since taking directed colimits is exact and commutes with tensor product, it follows that \mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(f \otimes _ R \text{id}_ Q) \subset \mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(g \otimes _ R \text{id}_ Q). \square

Lemma 10.88.4. Let f : M \to N and g : M \to M' be maps of R-modules. Consider the pushout of f and g,

\xymatrix{ M \ar[r]_ f \ar[d]_ g & N \ar[d]^{g'} \\ M' \ar[r]^{f'} & N' }

Then g dominates f if and only if f' is universally injective.

Proof. Recall that N' is M' \oplus N modulo the submodule consisting of elements (g(x), -f(x)) for x \in M. From the construction of N' we have a short exact sequence

0 \to \mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(f) \cap \mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(g) \to \mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(f) \to \mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(f') \to 0.

Since tensoring commutes with taking pushouts, we have such a short exact sequence

0 \to \mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(f \otimes \text{id}_ Q ) \cap \mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(g \otimes \text{id}_ Q) \to \mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(f \otimes \text{id}_ Q) \to \mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(f' \otimes \text{id}_ Q) \to 0

for every R-module Q. So f' is universally injective if and only if \mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(f \otimes \text{id}_ Q ) \subset \mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(g \otimes \text{id}_ Q) for every Q, if and only if g dominates f. \square

The above definition of domination is sometimes related to the usual notion of domination of maps as the following lemma shows.

Lemma 10.88.5. Let f: M \to N and g: M \to M' be maps of R-modules. Suppose \mathop{\mathrm{Coker}}(f) is of finite presentation. Then g dominates f if and only if g factors through f, i.e. there exists a module map h: N \to M' such that g = h \circ f.

Proof. Consider the pushout of f and g as in the statement of Lemma 10.88.4. From the construction of the pushout it follows that \mathop{\mathrm{Coker}}(f') = \mathop{\mathrm{Coker}}(f), so \mathop{\mathrm{Coker}}(f') is of finite presentation. Then by Lemma 10.82.4, f' is universally injective if and only if

0 \to M' \xrightarrow {f'} N' \to \mathop{\mathrm{Coker}}(f') \to 0

splits. This is the case if and only if there is a map h' : N' \to M' such that h' \circ f' = \text{id}_{M'}. From the universal property of the pushout, the existence of such an h' is equivalent to g factoring through f. \square

Proposition 10.88.6. Let M be an R-module. Let (M_ i, f_{ij}) be a directed system of finitely presented R-modules, indexed by I, such that M = \mathop{\mathrm{colim}}\nolimits M_ i. Let f_ i: M_ i \to M be the canonical map. The following are equivalent:

  1. For every finitely presented R-module P and module map f: P \to M, there exists a finitely presented R-module Q and a module map g: P \to Q such that g and f dominate each other, i.e., \mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(f \otimes _ R \text{id}_ N) = \mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(g \otimes _ R \text{id}_ N) for every R-module N.

  2. For each i \in I, there exists j \geq i such that f_{ij}: M_ i \to M_ j dominates f_ i: M_ i \to M.

  3. For each i \in I, there exists j \geq i such that f_{ij}: M_ i \to M_ j factors through f_{ik}: M_ i \to M_ k for all k \geq i.

  4. For every R-module N, the inverse system (\mathop{\mathrm{Hom}}\nolimits _ R(M_ i, N), \mathop{\mathrm{Hom}}\nolimits _ R(f_{ij}, N)) is Mittag-Leffler.

  5. For N = \prod _{s \in I} M_ s, the inverse system (\mathop{\mathrm{Hom}}\nolimits _ R(M_ i, N), \mathop{\mathrm{Hom}}\nolimits _ R(f_{ij}, N)) is Mittag-Leffler.

Proof. First we prove the equivalence of (1) and (2). Suppose (1) holds and let i \in I. Corresponding to the map f_ i: M_ i \to M, we can choose g: M_ i \to Q as in (1). Since M_ i and Q are of finite presentation, so is \mathop{\mathrm{Coker}}(g). Then by Lemma 10.88.5, f_ i : M_ i \to M factors through g: M_ i \to Q, say f_ i = h \circ g for some h: Q \to M. Then since Q is finitely presented, h factors through M_ j \to M for some j \geq i, say h = f_ j \circ h' for some h': Q \to M_ j. In total we have a commutative diagram

\xymatrix{ & M & \\ M_ i \ar[dr]_ g \ar[ur]^{f_ i} \ar[rr]^{f_{ij}} & & M_ j \ar[ul]_{f_ j} \\ & Q \ar[ur]_{h'} & }

Thus f_{ij} dominates g. But g dominates f_ i, so f_{ij} dominates f_ i.

Conversely, suppose (2) holds. Let P be of finite presentation and f: P \to M a module map. Then f factors through f_ i: M_ i \to M for some i \in I, say f = f_ i \circ g' for some g': P \to M_ i. Choose by (2) a j \geq i such that f_{ij} dominates f_ i. We have a commutative diagram

\xymatrix{ P \ar[d]_{g'} \ar[r]^{f} & M \\ M_ i \ar[ur]^{f_ i} \ar[r]_{f_{ij}} & M_ j \ar[u]_{f_ j} }

From the diagram and the fact that f_{ij} dominates f_ i, we find that f and f_{ij} \circ g' dominate each other. Hence taking g = f_{ij} \circ g' : P \to M_ j works.

Next we prove (2) is equivalent to (3). Let i \in I. It is always true that f_ i dominates f_{ik} for k \geq i, since f_ i factors through f_{ik}. If (2) holds, choose j \geq i such that f_{ij} dominates f_ i. Then since domination is a transitive relation, f_{ij} dominates f_{ik} for k \geq i. All M_ i are of finite presentation, so \mathop{\mathrm{Coker}}(f_{ik}) is of finite presentation for k \geq i. By Lemma 10.88.5, f_{ij} factors through f_{ik} for all k \geq i. Thus (2) implies (3). On the other hand, if (3) holds then for any R-module N, f_{ij} \otimes _ R \text{id}_ N factors through f_{ik} \otimes _ R \text{id}_ N for k \geq i. So \mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(f_{ik} \otimes _ R \text{id}_ N) \subset \mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(f_{ij} \otimes _ R \text{id}_ N) for k \geq i. But \mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(f_ i \otimes _ R \text{id}_ N: M_ i \otimes _ R N \to M \otimes _ R N) is the union of \mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(f_{ik} \otimes _ R \text{id}_ N) for k \geq i. Thus \mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(f_ i \otimes _ R \text{id}_ N) \subset \mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(f_{ij} \otimes _ R \text{id}_ N) for any R-module N, which by definition means f_{ij} dominates f_ i.

It is trivial that (3) implies (4) implies (5). We show (5) implies (3). Let N = \prod _{s \in I} M_ s. If (5) holds, then given i \in I choose j \geq i such that

\mathop{\mathrm{Im}}( \mathop{\mathrm{Hom}}\nolimits (M_ j, N) \to \mathop{\mathrm{Hom}}\nolimits (M_ i, N)) = \mathop{\mathrm{Im}}( \mathop{\mathrm{Hom}}\nolimits (M_ k, N) \to \mathop{\mathrm{Hom}}\nolimits (M_ i, N))

for all k \geq j. Passing the product over s \in I outside of the \mathop{\mathrm{Hom}}\nolimits 's and looking at the maps on each component of the product, this says

\mathop{\mathrm{Im}}( \mathop{\mathrm{Hom}}\nolimits (M_ j, M_ s) \to \mathop{\mathrm{Hom}}\nolimits (M_ i, M_ s)) = \mathop{\mathrm{Im}}( \mathop{\mathrm{Hom}}\nolimits (M_ k, M_ s) \to \mathop{\mathrm{Hom}}\nolimits (M_ i, M_ s))

for all k \geq j and s \in I. Taking s = j we have

\mathop{\mathrm{Im}}( \mathop{\mathrm{Hom}}\nolimits (M_ j, M_ j) \to \mathop{\mathrm{Hom}}\nolimits (M_ i, M_ j)) = \mathop{\mathrm{Im}}( \mathop{\mathrm{Hom}}\nolimits (M_ k, M_ j) \to \mathop{\mathrm{Hom}}\nolimits (M_ i, M_ j))

for all k \geq j. Since f_{ij} is the image of \text{id} \in \mathop{\mathrm{Hom}}\nolimits (M_ j, M_ j) under \mathop{\mathrm{Hom}}\nolimits (M_ j, M_ j) \to \mathop{\mathrm{Hom}}\nolimits (M_ i, M_ j), this shows that for any k \geq j there is h \in \mathop{\mathrm{Hom}}\nolimits (M_ k, M_ j) such that f_{ij} = h \circ f_{ik}. If j \geq k then we can take h = f_{kj}. Hence (3) holds. \square

Definition 10.88.7. Let M be an R-module. We say that M is Mittag-Leffler if the equivalent conditions of Proposition 10.88.6 hold.

In particular a finitely presented module is Mittag-Leffler.

Remark 10.88.8. Let M be a flat R-module. By Lazard's theorem (Theorem 10.81.4) we can write M = \mathop{\mathrm{colim}}\nolimits M_ i as the colimit of a directed system (M_ i, f_{ij}) where the M_ i are free finite R-modules. For M to be Mittag-Leffler, it is enough for the inverse system of duals (\mathop{\mathrm{Hom}}\nolimits _ R(M_ i, R), \mathop{\mathrm{Hom}}\nolimits _ R(f_{ij}, R)) to be Mittag-Leffler. This follows from criterion (4) of Proposition 10.88.6 and the fact that for a free finite R-module F, there is a functorial isomorphism \mathop{\mathrm{Hom}}\nolimits _ R(F, R) \otimes _ R N \cong \mathop{\mathrm{Hom}}\nolimits _ R(F, N) for any R-module N.

Lemma 10.88.9. If R is a ring and M, N are Mittag-Leffler modules over R, then M \otimes _ R N is a Mittag-Leffler module.

Proof. Write M = \mathop{\mathrm{colim}}\nolimits _{i \in I} M_ i and N = \mathop{\mathrm{colim}}\nolimits _{j \in J} N_ j as directed colimits of finitely presented R-modules. Denote f_{ii'} : M_ i \to M_{i'} and g_{jj'} : N_ j \to N_{j'} the transition maps. Then M_ i \otimes _ R N_ j is a finitely presented R-module (see Lemma 10.12.14), and M \otimes _ R N = \mathop{\mathrm{colim}}\nolimits _{(i, j) \in I \times J} M_ i \otimes _ R M_ j. Pick (i, j) \in I \times J. By the definition of a Mittag-Leffler module we have Proposition 10.88.6 (3) for both systems. In other words there exist i' \geq i and j' \geq j such that for every choice of i'' \geq i and j'' \geq j there exist maps a : M_{i''} \to M_{i'} and b : M_{j''} \to M_{j'} such that f_{ii'} = a \circ f_{ii''} and g_{jj'} = b \circ g_{jj''}. Then it is clear that a \otimes b : M_{i''} \otimes _ R N_{j''} \to M_{i'} \otimes _ R N_{j'} serves the same purpose for the system (M_ i \otimes _ R N_ j, f_{ii'} \otimes g_{jj'}). Thus by the characterization Proposition 10.88.6 (3) we conclude that M \otimes _ R N is Mittag-Leffler. \square

Lemma 10.88.10. Let R be a ring and M an R-module. Then M is Mittag-Leffler if and only if for every finite free R-module F and module map f: F \to M, there exists a finitely presented R-module Q and a module map g : F \to Q such that g and f dominate each other, i.e., \mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(f \otimes _ R \text{id}_ N) = \mathop{\mathrm{Ker}}(g \otimes _ R \text{id}_ N) for every R-module N.

Proof. Since the condition is clear weaker than condition (1) of Proposition 10.88.6 we see that a Mittag-Leffler module satisfies the condition. Conversely, suppose that M satisfies the condition and that f : P \to M is an R-module map from a finitely presented R-module P into M. Choose a surjection F \to P where F is a finite free R-module. By assumption we can find a map F \to Q where Q is a finitely presented R-module such that F \to Q and F \to M dominate each other. In particular, the kernel of F \to Q contains the kernel of F \to P, hence we obtain an R-module map g : P \to Q such that F \to Q is equal to the composition F \to P \to Q. Let N be any R-module and consider the commutative diagram

\xymatrix{ F \otimes _ R N \ar[d] \ar[r] & Q \otimes _ R N \\ P \otimes _ R N \ar[ru] \ar[r] & M \otimes _ R N }

By assumption the kernels of F \otimes _ R N \to Q \otimes _ R N and F \otimes _ R N \to M \otimes _ R N are equal. Hence, as F \otimes _ R N \to P \otimes _ R N is surjective, also the kernels of P \otimes _ R N \to Q \otimes _ R N and P \otimes _ R N \to M \otimes _ R N are equal. \square

Lemma 10.88.11. Let R \to S be a finite and finitely presented ring map. Let M be an S-module. If M is a Mittag-Leffler module over S then M is a Mittag-Leffler module over R.

Proof. Assume M is a Mittag-Leffler module over S. Write M = \mathop{\mathrm{colim}}\nolimits M_ i as a directed colimit of finitely presented S-modules M_ i. As M is Mittag-Leffler over S there exists for each i an index j \geq i such that for all k \geq j there is a factorization f_{ij} = h \circ f_{ik} (where h depends on i, the choice of j and k). Note that by Lemma 10.36.23 the modules M_ i are also finitely presented as R-modules. Moreover, all the maps f_{ij}, f_{ik}, h are maps of R-modules. Thus we see that the system (M_ i, f_{ij}) satisfies the same condition when viewed as a system of R-modules. Thus M is Mittag-Leffler as an R-module. \square

Lemma 10.88.12. Let R be a ring. Let S = R/I for some finitely generated ideal I. Let M be an S-module. Then M is a Mittag-Leffler module over R if and only if M is a Mittag-Leffler module over S.

Proof. One implication follows from Lemma 10.88.11. To prove the other, assume M is Mittag-Leffler as an R-module. Write M = \mathop{\mathrm{colim}}\nolimits M_ i as a directed colimit of finitely presented S-modules. As I is finitely generated, the ring S is finite and finitely presented as an R-algebra, hence the modules M_ i are finitely presented as R-modules, see Lemma 10.36.23. Next, let N be any S-module. Note that for each i we have \mathop{\mathrm{Hom}}\nolimits _ R(M_ i, N) = \mathop{\mathrm{Hom}}\nolimits _ S(M_ i, N) as R \to S is surjective. Hence the condition that the inverse system (\mathop{\mathrm{Hom}}\nolimits _ R(M_ i, N))_ i satisfies Mittag-Leffler, implies that the system (\mathop{\mathrm{Hom}}\nolimits _ S(M_ i, N))_ i satisfies Mittag-Leffler. Thus M is Mittag-Leffler over S by definition. \square

Remark 10.88.13. Let R \to S be a finite and finitely presented ring map. Let M be an S-module which is Mittag-Leffler as an R-module. Then it is in general not the case that M is Mittag-Leffler as an S-module. For example suppose that S is the ring of dual numbers over R, i.e., S = R \oplus R\epsilon with \epsilon ^2 = 0. Then an S-module consists of an R-module M endowed with a square zero R-linear endomorphism \epsilon : M \to M. Now suppose that M_0 is an R-module which is not Mittag-Leffler. Choose a presentation F_1 \xrightarrow {u} F_0 \to M_0 \to 0 with F_1 and F_0 free R-modules. Set M = F_1 \oplus F_0 with

\epsilon = \left( \begin{matrix} 0 & 0 \\ u & 0 \end{matrix} \right) : M \longrightarrow M.

Then M/\epsilon M \cong F_1 \oplus M_0 is not Mittag-Leffler over R = S/\epsilon S, hence not Mittag-Leffler over S (see Lemma 10.88.12). On the other hand, M/\epsilon M = M \otimes _ S S/\epsilon S which would be Mittag-Leffler over S if M was, see Lemma 10.88.9.


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