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Let $f: X \to Y$ be a birational morphism of integral schemes and $g: Z \to Y$ a morphism of integral schemes which maps the generic point of $Z$ to the generic point of $Y$, i.e., the morphism $g$ is dominant.

Is then $X \times_Y Z \to Z$ birational?

Edit: My ideas: Denote the generic points of $X,Y,Z$ by $\eta_X, \eta_Y, \eta_Z$. Then $f$ induces an isomorphism $\eta_X = \eta_Y$. Denote the base change $X \times_Y Z \to Z$ by $f'$. Then $f'$ induces an isomorphism $g'^*(\eta_X) = \eta_Z$?

user5262
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2 Answers2

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The fiber product can be reducible

Yes, $X \times_Y Z \to Z$ will always be an isomorphism over an open set $W \subset Z$. However it's possible for $X \times_Y Z$ to be reducible.

Example

Let $k$ be a field and let $Y = \mathbb{A}_k^3$; let $X = \mathrm{Bl}_p Y$ where $p \in Y$ is a closed point (e.g. the origin), and let $f: X \to Y$ be the projection. Let $E \subset X$ be the exceptional divisor (it's a copy of $\mathbb{P}^2$ over $p$), and let $\iota: E \to X$ be the inclusion. Take $Z = X$ and $f=g$ -- then $g$ is certainly dominant since it's also birational.

In this situation the fiber product $X \times_Y X$ has 2 components: one is the image of the diagonal $X \xrightarrow{\Delta} X \times_Y X$ over $Y$ (so just a copy of $X$). The other component is the image of the map

$$ E \times_{\mathrm{Spec} k(p)} E \xrightarrow{\iota \times \iota} X \times_Y X $$

In particular, this component is 4 dimensional, whereas the other is 3 dimensional (being birational to $\mathbb{A}^3$)! Since $X \times_Y X$ isn't even equidimensional, it can't be irreducible.

Requiring $Z$ to be flat might ensure the fiber product is integral.

I think if we assume in addition that $g: Z \to Y$ is a flat morphism, we can guarantee that $X \times_Y Z$ is integral, but I'm having a hard time finding a reference for this.

Note that flat implies dominant, since flat morphisms are open. Also note that flatness would rule out the example above ($f: X \to Y$ was not flat, for instance because its fiber dimension was not constant).

cgodfrey
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Since $f: X \to Y$ is birational, we can find some open subsets $U \subset Y$ and $V \subset X$ so that $f$ restricts to an isomorphism $f: V \to U$. Then $g: W = g^{-1}(U) \to U$ is still dominant (really dominance of $g$ here just guarantees that $W$ is nonempty for any open $U$ we may need to restrict to).

Then the pullback $V \times_U W \to W$ is an isomorphism. $V \times_U W$ is an open subset of $X \times_Y Z$ and the morphism is just the restriction of the pullback $X \times_Y Z \to Z$. Thus the pullback is birational since it induces an isomorphism on open subsets.

Dori Bejleri
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    This is basically the answer I had written, but then I got hung up on an annoying (for me) point: how to prove that $X \times_Y Z$ is integral? (I guess depending on your definition of "birational", this may not be necessary, but it seems like a natural point to clarify.) This is "just algebra", but it would be nice to have it explained here. –  Jan 13 '15 at 15:59
  • Hmm, I didn't consider that but I'll think about it. – Dori Bejleri Jan 13 '15 at 21:49