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The Stacks project

101.30 The topological space of an algebraic stack

In this section we apply the previous results to the topological space |\mathcal{X}| associated to an algebraic stack.

Lemma 101.30.1. Let \mathcal{X} be a quasi-compact algebraic stack whose diagonal \Delta is quasi-compact. Then |\mathcal{X}| is a spectral topological space.

Proof. Choose an affine scheme U and a surjective smooth morphism U \to \mathcal{X}, see Properties of Stacks, Lemma 100.6.2. Then |U| \to |\mathcal{X}| is continuous, open, and surjective, see Properties of Stacks, Lemma 100.4.7. Hence the quasi-compact opens of |\mathcal{X}| form a basis for the topology. For W_1, W_2 \subset |\mathcal{X}| quasi-compact open, we may choose a quasi-compact opens V_1, V_2 of U mapping to W_1 and W_2. Since \Delta is quasi-compact, we see that

V_1 \times _\mathcal {X} V_2 = (V_1 \times V_2) \times _{\mathcal{X} \times \mathcal{X}, \Delta } \mathcal{X}

is quasi-compact. Then image of |V_1 \times _\mathcal {X} V_2| in |\mathcal{X}| is W_1 \cap W_2 by Properties of Stacks, Lemma 100.4.3. Thus W_1 \cap W_2 is quasi-compact. To finish the proof, it suffices to show that |\mathcal{X}| is sober, see Topology, Definition 5.23.1.

Let T \subset |\mathcal{X}| be an irreducible closed subset. We have to show T has a unique generic point. Let \mathcal{Z} \subset \mathcal{X} be the reduced induced closed substack corresponding to T, see Properties of Stacks, Definition 100.10.4. Since \mathcal{Z} \to \mathcal{X} is a closed immersion, we see that \Delta _\mathcal {Z} is quasi-compact: first show that \mathcal{Z} \to \mathcal{X} \times \mathcal{X} is quasi-compact as the composition of \mathcal{Z} \to \mathcal{X} with \Delta , then write \mathcal{Z} \to \mathcal{X} \times \mathcal{X} as the composition of \Delta _\mathcal {Z} and \mathcal{Z} \times \mathcal{Z} \to \mathcal{X} \times \mathcal{X} and use Lemma 101.7.7 and the fact that \mathcal{Z} \times \mathcal{Z} \to \mathcal{X} \times \mathcal{X} is separated. Thus we reduce to the case discussed in the next paragraph.

Assume \mathcal{X} is quasi-compact, \Delta is quasi-compact, \mathcal{X} is reduced, and |\mathcal{X}| irreducible. We have to show |\mathcal{X}| has a unique generic point. Since \mathcal{I}_\mathcal {X} \to \mathcal{X} is a base change of \Delta , we see that \mathcal{I}_\mathcal {X} \to \mathcal{X} is quasi-compact (Lemma 101.7.3). Thus there exists a dense open substack \mathcal{U} \subset \mathcal{X} which is a gerbe by Proposition 101.29.1. In other words, |\mathcal{U}| \subset |\mathcal{X}| is open dense. Thus we may assume that \mathcal{X} is a gerbe. Say \mathcal{X} \to X turns \mathcal{X} into a gerbe over the algebraic space X. Then |\mathcal{X}| \cong |X| by Lemma 101.28.13. In particular, X is quasi-compact. By Lemma 101.28.14 we see that X has quasi-compact diagonal, i.e., X is a quasi-separated algebraic space. Then |X| is spectral by Properties of Spaces, Lemma 66.15.2 which implies what we want is true. \square

Lemma 101.30.2. Let \mathcal{X} be a quasi-compact and quasi-separated algebraic stack. Then |\mathcal{X}| is a spectral topological space.

Proof. This is a special case of Lemma 101.30.1. \square

Lemma 101.30.3. Let \mathcal{X} be an algebraic stack whose diagonal is quasi-compact (for example if \mathcal{X} is quasi-separated). Then there is an open covering |\mathcal{X}| = \bigcup U_ i with U_ i spectral. In particular |\mathcal{X}| is a sober topological space.

Proof. Immediate consequence of Lemma 101.30.1. \square


Comments (2)

Comment #2525 by Matthew Emerton on

In the last line of the statement of the lemma, there is an absolute value bar missing on the right in .


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