Lecture 8

36. Čech cohomology. Let X be a topological space and F a sheaf of abelian groups on X.
Let U be open covering of X, i.e. a collection U = (Ui )i2I of open subsets Ui ⇢ X such that
[i2I Ui = X.
Definition 36.1. For q > 0, the q-th cochain group of F w.r.t. U is defined by
Y
C q (U , F) := F(Ui0 \ · · · \ Uiq )
(i0 ,...,iq )2I q+1

Elements of C q (U , F) are called q-cochains.

Example 36.2. (1) A 0-cochain f 2 C 0 (U , F) is given by f = (fi )i2I with fi 2 F(Ui ).
(2) A 1-cochain f 2 C 1 (U , F) is given by f = (fij )i,j2I with fij 2 F(Ui \ Uj ).
(3) A 2-cochain f 2 C 2 (U , F) is given by f = (fijk )i,j,k2I with fijk 2 F(Ui \ Uj \ Uk ).
Definition 36.3. The coboundary operator : C q (U , F) ! C q+1 (U , F) is defined by
q
X
( f )i0 ...iq+1 = ( 1)k fi0 ...îk ...iq+1 |Ui0 \···\Uiq+1 .
k=0

Exercise 36.4. Spell out the definition of coboundary operator for q = 0, 1.

Exercise 36.5. Prove the composition of the previous two operators gives the zero operator.
Lemma 36.6. =0
Proof. By explicit computation (exercise). ⇤
Remark 36.7. The family of abelian groups and maps
0 ! C 0 (U , F) ! C 1 (U , F) ! C 2 (U , F) ! C 3 (U , F) ! . . .
is called Čech cochain complex. It is an example of differential complex.
Remark 36.8. Let us define q-cocycles and q-coboundaries as the elements of
Z q (U , F) = ker( : C q (U , F) ! C q+1 (U , F)), B q (U , F) = Im( : C q 1 (U , F) ! C q (U , F))
respectively. From = 0 it follows that B q (U , F) ⇢ Z q (U , F) as a subgroup, i.e. that any
coboundary is a cocycle. It is therefore possible to give the following definition.
Definition 36.9. The quotient
Z q (U , F)
H q (U , F) =
B q (U , F)
is called the q-th cohomology group with coefficients in F w.r.t. the covering U .
Remark 36.10. Since B 0 (U , F) = 0, we have H 0 (U , F) = Z 0 (U , F). A 0-cocycle f = (fi )i2I
satisfies the condition
fi |Ui \Uj = fj |Ui \Uj i, j 2 I
therefore, by the sheaf axioms, corresponds to a unique element of F(X), so we have:
H 0 (X, F) = H 0 (U , F) = F(X).
Exercise 36.11. Spell out the conditions for f 2 C 1 (U , F) to be a cocycle or a coboundary.
Exercise 36.12. Let P be a point on the RS X. Let U = (Ui )i2I be an open covering of X such
that P is contained in only one Ui . Show that H 1 (U , CP ) = 0, where CP is the skyscraper sheaf
defined in 29.8. Compute H 0 (U , CP ).
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37. First Čech cohomology group of C⇤ . Let U = {U1 , U2 } be the open covering of C⇤
given by U1 = C⇤ \ R and U2 = C⇤ \ R+ .
Exercise 37.1. Give an explicit description of C 0 (U , Z), C 1 (U , Z), Z 1 (U , Z), B 1 (U , Z) and
H 1 (U , Z), where Z is the sheaf of integer-valued locally constant functions on C⇤ .
Exercise 37.2. Repeat the previous exercise for a different choice of open covering, for example
for U = {C⇤ } and for U given by three open sets.
See whiteboard or [F] p. 102 for hints.
38. Mittag-Leffler problem.
Exercise 38.1. Let X be a compact RS and U = {Ui }i2I an open covering of X. Fix f =
(fi )i2I 2 C 0 (U , M) such that f 2 C 1 (U , O). Prove that f 2 Z 1 (U , O). A solution of the
Mittag-Leffler problem is a f 2 M(X) such that on every Ui the principal parts of f and fi
coincide, namely that f |Ui fi 2 O(Ui ). Prove that the Mittag-Leffler problem admits a solution
iff f vanishes as a cohomology class in H 1 (U , O).
Exercise 38.2. Show by an explicit computation that any Mittag-Leffler problem on C1 has a
solution. Show that it follows that H 1 (U , O) is trivial for every covering U of C1 .

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