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A pencil of functions with poles at one point defines a finite map to the projective line

Example

Assume the Axiom of Choice inherited from the current bounded-pole, linear-system and finite-map suppliers.

Let k be a field, let C be a smooth proper geometrically integral curve over k, and let f∈k(C)× be a nonconstant rational function whose poles all lie at a single closed point p, of order m≥1; thus (f)∞=m[p] is the pole divisor of f, and f∈L(np) for every n≥m — the case "all poles at p, of order at most n" of the scaffold. Write D0:=(f)∞=m[p]. Then:

  1. 1 and f are linearly independent elements of L(np) for every n≥m, hence also of L(D0).
  2. In the space L(D0) the subspace V0=k⋅1+k⋅f is two-dimensional and base-point-free: the section sf of OC(D0) has unit coefficient in a local trivialization at p, and s1 has unit coefficient at every point away from p. The morphism φV0:C→Pk1 attached to V0 by A base-point-free linear system defines a morphism to projective space is exactly the finite morphism φf of A nonconstant rational function defines a finite map to the projective line, of degree [k(C):k(f)] and with fibre over infinity equal to the pole divisor (f)∞.
  3. For n>m the same two elements 1,f in the larger space L(np) are not base-point-free: since div⁡(1)+np=np and div⁡(f)+np=(f)0+(n−m)p, the point p lies in both divisors, so p is a base point. Among the divisors np≥(f)∞ the base-point-free hypothesis therefore holds exactly at the pole divisor D0 (n=m).
  4. On the projective line, with coordinate t and D=[∞]=(t)∞, the pair 1,t inside L([∞]) is base-point-free and the attached morphism is [1:t], the identity of Pk1: it is finite of degree one with fibre over infinity the single point [∞]. For n≥2 the same pair inside L(n[∞]) has base point ∞ (the two divisors n[∞] and [0]+(n−1)[∞] both contain ∞), so no morphism is attached there; the identity is attached to the pole divisor [∞].
  5. The morphism attached to a base-point-free subspace of L(D) depends on the subspace and not only on D: on Pk1 with D=2[∞] the pencils V1=k⋅1+k⋅t2 and V2=k⋅1+k⋅(t2+t) are both base-point-free subspaces of the same L(2[∞]), and the attached morphisms satisfy φV1♯(t)=t2 and φV2♯(t)=t2+t; no fractional linear transformation M(u)=au+bcu+d satisfies M(t2)=t2+t, so the two morphisms are not related by the projective-linear action of PGL2(k) on the target and are genuinely different.
  6. By Rational functions with poles bounded at one point, for every closed point p of residue degree d and every n≥1 with nd+1−g≥2 a nonconstant f∈L(np) of exactly this kind exists, so the construction is nonempty. The simplest instance is C=Pk1 with f=t, whose only pole is at infinity and for which φf is the identity; this realizes the construction of Finite morphisms from a curve to the projective line in the case where the only pole is at infinity.

Scaffold repair, recorded for the owner. The frozen scaffold claimed that 1 and f span a base-point-free subspace of L(np) for a pole order "at most n", and that "the same two sections, viewed inside the larger space L(n[∞]), define the same morphism". Both clauses are false when the pole order m at p is strictly smaller than n, and false on Pk1 for n≥2: in L(np) both div⁡(1)+np=np and div⁡(f)+np=(f)0+(n−m)p contain p, so p is a base point and the hypothesis of the base-point-free morphism theorem fails. The repair keeps every promised object — the two sections, the two-dimensional subspace, the identification of its morphism with φf, the projective-line identity at D=[∞], and the dependence of the morphism on the chosen subspace rather than on D alone — and states base-point-freeness at the correct divisor, the pole divisor (f)∞; the enlarged divisors are handled as the base-point case in item 3.

The current Rational functions with poles bounded at one point supplies the nonconstant function in the existence clause. The Riemann-Roch-space and base-point-free interfaces are The space L(D), Base points and base-point-free linear systems and A base-point-free linear system defines a morphism to projective space. The finite map and its pole fibre are supplied by A nonconstant rational function defines a finite map to the projective line and Finite morphisms from a curve to the projective line.

Facts & Assumptions

Given: the Axiom of Choice inherited from the current bounded-pole, linear-system and finite-map suppliers; a field k, a smooth proper geometrically integral curve C over k, a nonconstant f∈k(C)× whose poles all lie at a single closed point p, of order m≥1, an integer n≥m, and D0=(f)∞=m[p].

[F1]

Curve, orders and pole divisors: closed points of C have order functions ord⁡x on k(C)×; a divisor is a finite formal integral combination of closed points; the positive and negative parts of div⁡(f) are (f)0 and (f)∞, and div⁡(f)=(f)0−(f)∞ (Curves over a field, Divisors on a smooth proper curve, Divisor support positive negative parts).

[F2]

The Riemann-Roch space: L(D)={g∈k(C)×:div⁡(g)+D≥0}∪{0} is a k-subspace of k(C), characterized coefficientwise by ord⁡x(g)+nx≥0; the promised section dictionary identifies L(D)=H0(C,OC(D)) and attaches to g∈L(D) the section sg with div⁡(sg)=div⁡(g)+D, so that the ratio sg1/sg0 of two sections of OC(D) is the rational function g1/g0 (The space L(D)).

[F3]

Base points: a closed point x is a base point of a subspace V⊆L(D) when every nonzero g∈V has x in the support of div⁡(g)+D, and V is base-point-free when it has no base point; the base-point-free condition is exactly the surjectivity of the evaluation morphism of any basis (Base points and base-point-free linear systems).

[F4]

The base-point-free morphism: a base-point-free subspace V⊆L(D) of dimension r+1≥1 carries a k-morphism φV:C→Pkr, well defined up to the projective-linear action of PGLr+1(k) on the target, with OC(D)≅φV∗O(1) under which the coordinate sections pull back to the sections of V (in particular φV♯(x1/x0)=s1/s0 for a chosen basis s0,s1 when r=1); conversely, a morphism φ:C→Pkr together with an isomorphism α:φ∗O(1)→OC(D) has base-point-free span Vφ∋α(φ∗xi), and the morphism attached to the data is φ (A base-point-free linear system defines a morphism to projective space).

[F5]

The morphism of a nonconstant function: a nonconstant f∈k(C)× defines a finite locally free k-morphism φf:C→Pk1 with φf♯(t)=f, of degree [k(C):k(f)]≥1, whose fibre over infinity is the pole divisor (f)∞; and with A=(f)∞ one has OC(A)≅φf∗O(1) (A nonconstant rational function defines a finite map to the projective line, Finite morphisms from a curve to the projective line).

[F6]

The projective line: Pk1 is a smooth proper geometrically integral curve of genus 0 with affine coordinate t=x1/x0, origin [1:0] and point at infinity ∞=[0:1]=V(x0); the coordinate section x0 of O(1) satisfies div⁡(x0)=[∞] and O(1)≅O([∞]) with deg⁡kO(1)=1, while div⁡(x1)=[ [1:0] ] (Divisors on the projective line are classified by degree, Relative projective space from standard charts).

[F7]

Existence of functions with a bounded single pole: for every closed point p of residue degree d=[κ(p):k]≥1 and every n≥1 with nd+1−g≥2 there is a nonconstant f∈L(np), every pole of which lies at p with order at most n (Rational functions with poles bounded at one point).

[F8]

The Axiom of Choice is available and is inherited only through the suppliers of [F2], [F4], [F5] and [F7]; the example selects nothing beyond the given curve, point and function (The Axiom of Choice).

Proof

technique · compute the two divisors $\operatorname{div}(1)+D$ and $\operatorname{div}(f)+D$ for $D=(f)_\infty$ and for the larger $np$, apply the base-point-free morphism theorem and its converse, and carry out the two explicit projective-line computations
1.1F1F2

The two sections and their divisors. Since f is nonconstant, 1 and f are linearly independent in k(C); since f∈L(np) and 1∈L(np) for n≥m by [F2] (as div⁡(f)+np≥0 and np≥0), they span a two-dimensional subspace of L(np) and of L(D0). By [F1] the pole divisor of f is (f)∞=m[p] with m≥1, and the divisor attached to 1 and f in L(np) is div⁡(1)+np=np and div⁡(f)+np=(f)0−m[p]+n[p]=(f)0+(n−m)[p].

1.2F2F3F4F6

The same divisor with two different subspaces. On Pk1 let D=2[∞]. The two subspaces V1=k⋅1+k⋅t2 and V2=k⋅1+k⋅(t2+t) of the single space L(2[∞]) are two-dimensional. Both are base-point-free: by [F2] and [F6], div⁡(1)+2[∞]=2[∞] and div⁡(t2)+2[∞]=2[0], and div⁡(t2+t)+2[∞]=[0]+[−1] (as div⁡(t2+t)=[0]+[−1]−2[∞]), so in each pair the constant 1 is a unit away from infinity and the second section is a unit at infinity; by [F3] there is no base point. By [F4] each subspace attaches a morphism C→Pk1, and the pullback of the coordinate is the ratio of the two basis sections: φV1♯(t)=t2 and φV2♯(t)=t2+t. If the two morphisms were related by the projective-linear action of PGL2(k) on the target, some M(u)=au+bcu+d would satisfy M(t2)=t2+t; clearing denominators, at2+b=(t2+t)(ct2+d)=ct4+ct3+dt2+dt, so comparing coefficients gives c=0, then d=0, then a=b=0, contradicting that M is invertible. Hence φV1 and φV2 are not related by the target action: the morphism attached to a base-point-free subspace of L(D) depends on the subspace, not only on D.

2.1F2F3step 1.1

Base-point-freeness at the pole divisor. Take n=m and D0=m[p]. By step 1.1, div⁡(f)+D0=(f)0, which does not contain p, so the section f does not vanish at p; and div⁡(1)+D0=D0=m[p] is supported at p, so the constant section 1 does not vanish at any other point. By [F3] no point of C lies in both divisors, so V0=k⋅1+k⋅f⊆L(D0) is base-point-free of dimension two.

3.1F2F4F5step 2.1

The attached morphism is φf. By [F5] there is a finite locally free morphism φf:C→Pk1 with φf♯(t)=f, of degree [k(C):k(f)], whose fibre over infinity is (f)∞, and an isomorphism OC(D0)≅φf∗O(1). Under the section dictionary [F2] the pullbacks φf∗x0 and φf∗x1 correspond to the rational functions 1 and f, whose span is V0; the converse clause of [F4], applied with r=1, D=D0 and that isomorphism, gives that V0 is base-point-free — recovering step 2.1 — and that the morphism attached to the data (OC(D0);1,f) is φf. Hence φV0=φf, so φV0 is finite of degree [k(C):k(f)] with fibre over infinity equal to (f)∞.

3.2F2F3F4step 1.1

The enlarged divisors have the base point p. Let n>m. By step 1.1 both div⁡(1)+np=np and div⁡(f)+np=(f)0+(n−m)p contain p, since n≥1 and n−m≥1; by [F3] the point p is a base point of k⋅1+k⋅f⊆L(np), so the hypothesis of [F4] fails and no morphism is attached. Together with step 2.1 this shows that among the divisors np≥(f)∞ the pair 1,f is base-point-free exactly at the pole divisor D0=(f)∞ (n=m).

4.1F2F3F4F6step 3.1

The projective-line identity. Let C=Pk1 and f=t, so that (t)∞=[∞]=D0 by [F6] (the coordinate section x0 has divisor [∞]). By step 3.1 the attached morphism φV0 is φt, finite of degree [k(Pk1):k(t)]=1 with fibre over infinity the single point [∞]; and the converse clause of [F4], applied with φ=idP1, D=[∞] and the isomorphism O(1)≅O([∞]) of [F6] carrying x0↦s1 and x1↦st (matching divisors [∞] and [0] by [F2]), shows that the morphism attached to the data (O([∞]);1,t) is the identity [1:t]. For n≥2, the same two elements of L(n[∞]) have div⁡(1)+n[∞]=n[∞] and div⁡(t)+n[∞]=[0]+(n−1)[∞], both containing ∞, so by [F3] ∞ is a base point of k⋅1+k⋅t⊆L(n[∞]) and no morphism is attached to the larger system.

5.1F5F7F8step 3.1step 4.1∎

Realization and conclusion. By [F7] the example is nonempty: for every closed point p of residue degree d and every n≥1 with nd+1−g≥2 there is a nonconstant f∈L(np) with all poles at p of order at most n, and the construction above attaches to the pole divisor (f)∞ the base-point-free pencil k⋅1+k⋅f with morphism exactly φf; on Pk1 the case f=t is the simplest instance, in which the only pole is at infinity and φf is the identity. This realizes the construction of Finite morphisms from a curve to the projective line in the single-pole case. The Axiom of Choice declared in [F8] is inherited only through the suppliers of [F2], [F4], [F5] and [F7], and nothing is selected beyond the given curve, point and function.

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