The Stacks project

96.21 Higher direct images and algebraic stacks

Let $g : \mathcal{X} \to \mathcal{Y}$ be a $1$-morphism of algebraic stacks over $S$. In the sections above we have constructed a morphism of ringed topoi $g : \mathop{\mathit{Sh}}\nolimits (\mathcal{X}_\tau ) \to \mathop{\mathit{Sh}}\nolimits (\mathcal{Y}_\tau )$ for each $\tau \in \{ Zar, {\acute{e}tale}, smooth, syntomic, fppf\} $. In the chapter on cohomology of sites we have explained how to define higher direct images. Hence the total direct image $Rg_*\mathcal{F}$ is defined as $g_*\mathcal{I}^\bullet $ where $\mathcal{F} \to \mathcal{I}^\bullet $ is an injective resolution in $\textit{Ab}(\mathcal{X}_\tau )$. The $i$th higher direct image $R^ ig_*\mathcal{F}$ is the $i$th cohomology of the total direct image. Important: it matters which topology $\tau $ is used here!

If $\mathcal{F}$ is a presheaf of $\mathcal{O}_\mathcal {X}$-modules which is a sheaf in the $\tau $-topology, then we use injective resolutions in $\textit{Mod}(\mathcal{X}_\tau , \mathcal{O}_\mathcal {X})$ to compute total direct image and higher direct images.

So far our only tool to compute the higher direct images of $g_*$ is the result on Čech complexes proved above. This requires the choice of a “covering” $f : \mathcal{U} \to \mathcal{X}$. If $\mathcal{U}$ is an algebraic space, then $f : \mathcal{U} \to \mathcal{X}$ is representable by algebraic spaces, see Algebraic Stacks, Lemma 94.10.11. Thus the proposition applies in particular to a smooth cover of the algebraic stack $\mathcal{X}$ by a scheme.

Proposition 96.21.1. Let $f : \mathcal{U} \to \mathcal{X}$ and $g : \mathcal{X} \to \mathcal{Y}$ be composable $1$-morphisms of algebraic stacks.

  1. Assume that $f$ is representable by algebraic spaces, surjective and smooth.

    1. If $\mathcal{F}$ is in $\textit{Ab}(\mathcal{X}_{\acute{e}tale})$ then there is a spectral sequence

      \[ E_1^{p, q} = R^ q(g \circ f_ p)_*f_ p^{-1}\mathcal{F} \Rightarrow R^{p + q}g_*\mathcal{F} \]

      in $\textit{Ab}(\mathcal{Y}_{\acute{e}tale})$ with higher direct images computed in the étale topology.

    2. If $\mathcal{F}$ is in $\textit{Mod}(\mathcal{X}_{\acute{e}tale}, \mathcal{O}_\mathcal {X})$ then there is a spectral sequence

      \[ E_1^{p, q} = R^ q(g \circ f_ p)_*f_ p^{-1}\mathcal{F} \Rightarrow R^{p + q}g_*\mathcal{F} \]

      in $\textit{Mod}(\mathcal{Y}_{\acute{e}tale}, \mathcal{O}_\mathcal {Y})$.

  2. Assume that $f$ is representable by algebraic spaces, surjective, flat, and locally of finite presentation.

    1. If $\mathcal{F}$ is in $\textit{Ab}(\mathcal{X})$ then there is a spectral sequence

      \[ E_1^{p, q} = R^ q(g \circ f_ p)_*f_ p^{-1}\mathcal{F} \Rightarrow R^{p + q}g_*\mathcal{F} \]

      in $\textit{Ab}(\mathcal{Y})$ with higher direct images computed in the fppf topology.

    2. If $\mathcal{F}$ is in $\textit{Mod}(\mathcal{O}_\mathcal {X})$ then there is a spectral sequence

      \[ E_1^{p, q} = R^ q(g \circ f_ p)_*f_ p^{-1}\mathcal{F} \Rightarrow R^{p + q}g_*\mathcal{F} \]

      in $\textit{Mod}(\mathcal{O}_\mathcal {Y})$.

Proof. To see this we will check the hypotheses (1) – (4) of Lemma 96.19.11 and Lemma 96.19.12. The $1$-morphism $f$ is faithful by Algebraic Stacks, Lemma 94.15.2. This proves (4). Hypothesis (3) follows from the fact that $\mathcal{U}$ is an algebraic stack, see Lemma 96.17.2. To see (2) apply Lemma 96.19.10. Condition (1) is satisfied by fiat in all four cases. $\square$

Here is a description of higher direct images for a morphism of algebraic stacks.

Lemma 96.21.2. Let $S$ be a scheme. Let $f : \mathcal{X} \to \mathcal{Y}$ be a $1$-morphism of algebraic stacks1 over $S$. Let $\tau \in \{ Zariski,\linebreak[0] {\acute{e}tale},\linebreak[0] smooth,\linebreak[0] syntomic,\linebreak[0] fppf\} $. Let $\mathcal{F}$ be an object of $\textit{Ab}(\mathcal{X}_\tau )$ or $\textit{Mod}(\mathcal{X}_\tau , \mathcal{O}_\mathcal {X})$. Then the sheaf $R^ if_*\mathcal{F}$ is the sheaf associated to the presheaf

\[ y \longmapsto H^ i_\tau \Big((\mathit{Sch}/V)_{fppf} \times _{y, \mathcal{Y}} \mathcal{X}, \ \text{pr}^{-1}\mathcal{F}\Big) \]

Here $y$ is an object of $\mathcal{Y}$ lying over the scheme $V$.

Proof. Choose an injective resolution $\mathcal{F}[0] \to \mathcal{I}^\bullet $. By the formula for pushforward (96.5.0.1) we see that $R^ if_*\mathcal{F}$ is the sheaf associated to the presheaf which associates to $y$ the cohomology of the complex

\[ \begin{matrix} \Gamma \Big((\mathit{Sch}/V)_{fppf} \times _{y, \mathcal{Y}} \mathcal{X}, \ \text{pr}^{-1}\mathcal{I}^{i - 1}\Big) \\ \downarrow \\ \Gamma \Big((\mathit{Sch}/V)_{fppf} \times _{y, \mathcal{Y}} \mathcal{X}, \ \text{pr}^{-1}\mathcal{I}^ i\Big) \\ \downarrow \\ \Gamma \Big((\mathit{Sch}/V)_{fppf} \times _{y, \mathcal{Y}} \mathcal{X}, \ \text{pr}^{-1}\mathcal{I}^{i + 1}\Big) \end{matrix} \]

Since $\text{pr}^{-1}$ is exact, it suffices to show that $\text{pr}^{-1}$ preserves injectives. This follows from Lemmas 96.17.5 and 96.17.6 as well as the fact that $\text{pr}$ is a representable morphism of algebraic stacks (so that $\text{pr}$ is faithful by Algebraic Stacks, Lemma 94.15.2 and that $(\mathit{Sch}/V)_{fppf} \times _{y, \mathcal{Y}} \mathcal{X}$ has equalizers by Lemma 96.17.2). $\square$

Here is a trivial base change result.

Lemma 96.21.3. Let $S$ be a scheme. Let $\tau \in \{ Zariski,\linebreak[0] {\acute{e}tale},\linebreak[0] smooth,\linebreak[0] syntomic,\linebreak[0] fppf\} $. Let

\[ \xymatrix{ \mathcal{Y}' \times _\mathcal {Y} \mathcal{X} \ar[r]_{g'} \ar[d]_{f'} & \mathcal{X} \ar[d]^ f \\ \mathcal{Y}' \ar[r]^ g & \mathcal{Y} } \]

be a $2$-cartesian diagram of algebraic stacks over $S$. Then the base change map is an isomorphism

\[ g^{-1}Rf_*\mathcal{F} \longrightarrow Rf'_*(g')^{-1}\mathcal{F} \]

functorial for $\mathcal{F}$ in $\textit{Ab}(\mathcal{X}_\tau )$ or $\mathcal{F}$ in $\textit{Mod}(\mathcal{X}_\tau , \mathcal{O}_\mathcal {X})$.

Proof. The isomorphism $g^{-1}f_*\mathcal{F} = f'_*(g')^{-1}\mathcal{F}$ is Lemma 96.5.1 (and it holds for arbitrary presheaves). For the total direct images, there is a base change map because the morphisms $g$ and $g'$ are flat, see Cohomology on Sites, Section 21.15. To see that this map is a quasi-isomorphism we can use that for an object $y'$ of $\mathcal{Y}'$ over a scheme $V$ there is an equivalence

\[ (\mathit{Sch}/V)_{fppf} \times _{g(y'), \mathcal{Y}} \mathcal{X} = (\mathit{Sch}/V)_{fppf} \times _{y', \mathcal{Y}'} (\mathcal{Y}' \times _\mathcal {Y} \mathcal{X}) \]

We conclude that the induced map $g^{-1}R^ if_*\mathcal{F} \to R^ if'_*(g')^{-1}\mathcal{F}$ is an isomorphism by Lemma 96.21.2. $\square$

[1] This result should hold for any $1$-morphism of categories fibred in groupoids over $(\mathit{Sch}/S)_{fppf}$.

Comments (0)


Post a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked.

In your comment you can use Markdown and LaTeX style mathematics (enclose it like $\pi$). A preview option is available if you wish to see how it works out (just click on the eye in the toolbar).

Unfortunately JavaScript is disabled in your browser, so the comment preview function will not work.

All contributions are licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.




In order to prevent bots from posting comments, we would like you to prove that you are human. You can do this by filling in the name of the current tag in the following input field. As a reminder, this is tag 072F. Beware of the difference between the letter 'O' and the digit '0'.