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Irreducible components of the spectrum correspond to minimal prime ideals

Statement

Assume the Axiom of Choice.

Let R be a commutative ring.

  1. If p is a minimal prime ideal of R, then V(p) is an irreducible component of Spec(R). 2. Every irreducible component of Spec(R) is of the form V(p) for a unique minimal prime ideal p.

Thus irreducible components of Spec(R) correspond exactly to minimal prime ideals.

Facts & Assumptions

Given: A commutative ring R and the Axiom of Choice.

[L1]

A nonempty Zariski-closed subset is irreducible exactly when its radical defining ideal is prime, and then it equals the closure V(p) of its unique generic point p (A Zariski-closed subset is irreducible exactly when its radical defining ideal is prime, and then it has a unique generic point).

[L2]

V(I) is the set of prime ideals containing I (The prime spectrum and vanishing sets).

Proof

technique · direct
1.1

Let p be a minimal prime ideal. Since p is prime, fact [L1] shows that V(p) is irreducible.

L1given
1.2

If V(p)Y for an irreducible closed subset Y, then [L1] gives Y=V(q) for a prime ideal q. The inclusion V(p)V(q) means qp by [L2]. Minimality of p forces q=p, so Y=V(p). Hence V(p) is maximal among irreducible closed subsets, that is, an irreducible component.

L1L2given
1.3

Let Y be an irreducible component. By [L1], Y=V(p) for a prime ideal p. If qp is another prime, then V(p)V(q) by [L2]. Since V(q) is irreducible by [L1], maximality of the component Y forces V(p)=V(q), and [L1] then gives p=q. Thus p is minimal.

L1L2given
2.1

The prime ideal in step 1.3 is unique because [L1] gives a unique generic point for every irreducible component.

L1step 1.3
3.1

Steps 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, and 2.1 give the claimed correspondence between irreducible components and minimal prime ideals.

step 1.1step 1.2step 1.3step 2.1

Depends on

Used by

Dependency tree · two levels

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Sources