Localization (commutative algebra): Difference between revisions

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{{short description|Construction of a ring of fractions, in commutative algebra}}

In [[commutative algebra]] and [[algebraic geometry]], '''localization''' is a formal way to introduce the "denominators" to a given [[ring (mathematics)|ring]] or [[module (mathematics)|module]]. That is, it introduces a new ring/module out of an existing onering/module ''R'', so that it consists of [[algebraic fraction|fractions]] <math>\frac{m}{s},</math> such that the [[denominator]] ''s'' belongs to a given subset ''S'' of ''R''. If ''S'' is the set of the non-zero elements of an [[integral ___domain]], then the localization is the [[field of fractions]]: this case generalizes the construction of the ring <math>\Q</math> of [[rational number]]s from the ring <math>\Z</math> of [[integer]]s.

The technique has become fundamental, particularly in [[algebraic geometry]], as it provides a natural link to [[sheaf (mathematics)|sheaf]] theory. In fact, the term ''localization'' originated in [[algebraic geometry]]: if ''R'' is a ring of [[function (mathematics)|function]]s defined on some geometric object ([[algebraic variety]]) ''V'', and one wants to study this variety "locally" near a point ''p'', then one considers the set ''S'' of all functions which are not zero at ''p'' and localizes ''R'' with respect to ''S''. The resulting ring <math>S^{-1}R</math> contains information about the behavior of ''V'' near ''p'', and excludes information that is not "local", such as the [[zero of a function|zeros of functions]] that are outside ''V'' (c.f. the example given at [[local ring]]).