Lemma 10.50.11. Let A be a normal domain with fraction field K.
For every x \in K, x \not\in A there exists a valuation ring A \subset V \subset K with fraction field K such that x \not\in V.
If A is local, we can moreover choose V which dominates A.
In other words, A is the intersection of all valuation rings in K containing A and if A is local, then A is the intersection of all valuation rings in K dominating A.
Proof.
Suppose x \in K, x \not\in A. Consider B = A[x^{-1}]. Then x \not\in B. Namely, if x = a_0 + a_1x^{-1} + \ldots + a_ d x^{-d} then x^{d + 1} - a_0x^ d - \ldots - a_ d = 0 and x is integral over A in contradiction with the fact that A is normal. Thus x^{-1} is not a unit in B. Thus V(x^{-1}) \subset \mathop{\mathrm{Spec}}(B) is not empty (Lemma 10.17.2), and we can choose a prime \mathfrak p \subset B with x^{-1} \in \mathfrak p. Choose a valuation ring V \subset K dominating B_\mathfrak p (Lemma 10.50.2). Then x \not\in V as x^{-1} \in \mathfrak m_ V.
If A is local, then we claim that x^{-1} B + \mathfrak m_ A B \not= B. Namely, if 1 = (a_0 + a_1x^{-1} + \ldots + a_ d x^{-d})x^{-1} + a'_0 + \ldots + a'_ d x^{-d} with a_ i \in A and a'_ i \in \mathfrak m_ A, then we'd get
(1 - a'_0) x^{d + 1} - (a_0 + a'_1) x^ d - \ldots - a_ d = 0
Since a'_0 \in \mathfrak m_ A we see that 1 - a'_0 is a unit in A and we conclude that x would be integral over A, a contradiction as before. Then choose the prime \mathfrak p \supset x^{-1} B + \mathfrak m_ A B we find V dominating A.
\square
Comments (1)
Comment #3227 by Giulio on
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