Étale algebra

In commutative algebra, an étale algebra over a field is a special type of algebra, one that is isomorphic to a finite product of finite separable field extensions. These may also be called separable algebras, though the latter term is sometimes used in a broader sense.

Definitions

Let K be a field. Let L be a commutative unital associative K-algebra. Then L is called an étale K-algebra if any one of the following equivalent conditions holds:[1]

• ${\displaystyle L\otimes _{K}E\simeq E^{n}}$ for some field extension E of K and some nonnegative integer n.
• ${\displaystyle L\otimes _{K}{\overline {K}}\simeq {\overline {K}}^{n}}$ for any (or every) algebraic closure ${\displaystyle {\overline {K}}}$ of K and some nonnegative integer n.
• L is isomorphic to a finite product of finite separable field extensions of K.
• L is finite-dimensional over K, and the trace form Tr(xy) is nondegenerate.
• The morphism of schemes ${\displaystyle \operatorname {Spec} L\to \operatorname {Spec} K}$ is an étale morphism.

Examples

The ${\displaystyle \mathbb {Q} }$-algebra ${\displaystyle \mathbb {Q} (i)}$ is étale because it is a finite separable field extension.

The ${\displaystyle \mathbb {R} }$-algebra ${\displaystyle \mathbb {R} [x]/(x^{2})}$ is not étale, since ${\displaystyle \mathbb {R} [x]/(x^{2})\otimes _{\mathbb {R} }\mathbb {C} \simeq \mathbb {C} [x]/(x^{2})}$.

Properties

Let G denote the absolute Galois group of K. Then the category of étale K-algebras is equivalent to the category of finite G-sets with continuous G-action. In particular, étale algebras of dimension n are classified by conjugacy classes of continuous homomorphisms from G to the symmetric group S_n.

Notes

1. (Bourbaki 1990, page A.V.28-30)

References

• Bourbaki, N. (1990), Algebra. II. Chapters 4–7., Elements of Mathematics, Berlin: Springer-Verlag, ISBN 3-540-19375-8, MR 1080964
• Milne, James, Field Theory http://www.jmilne.org/math/CourseNotes/FT.pdf