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(Cross-posted to MO.)

All rings commutative with $1$. Let $A\to B$ be an $A$-algebra which is finite projective, meaning $B$ is finitely generated projective as an $A$-module, so there is the trace map $\operatorname{tr}_{B/A}:B\to A$ where $\operatorname{tr}_{B/A}(b)$ is the trace of the $A$-linear $B\to B$ given by multiplication by $b$. In this case the dualizing module $\omega_{B/A}$ can be defined as the $B$-module $\hom_A(B,A)$, where the action by an element $b\in B$ on $f:B\to A$ is given by $(bf)(x)=f(bx)$. So there is a (unique) $B$-linear map $B\to\omega_{B/A}$ sending $1$ to $\operatorname{tr}_{B/A}$. We define the different ideal $\mathfrak{d}(B/A)$ of $A\to B$ as $\text{Ann}_B(\text{coker}(B\to\omega_{B/A}))$. (I am following Stacks Project terminology.)

On the other hand (for any algebra $A\to B$ at all) there is a ring homomorphism $B\otimes_AB\to B$ defined by $b\otimes c\mapsto bc$. Let $I=\ker(B\otimes_AB\to B)$ and let $J=\text{Ann}_{B\otimes_AB}(I)$. Since $I$ is generated by elements of the form $1\otimes b-b\otimes1$ for $b\in B$, $J$ consists of those elements $x$ satisfying $(1\otimes b)x=(b\otimes1)x$ for all $b\in B$ and therefore $J$ inherits a unique $B$-module structure in this way. The Noether different ideal $\mathfrak{d}_N(B/A)$ is the image of $J$ under the multiplication map.

There is an isomorphism of $B$-modules $J\to\hom_B(\omega_{B/A},B)$ sending $\sum_ib_i\otimes c_i$ to the map taking $f\in\omega_{B/A}$ and returning $\sum_if(b_i)c_i$. There is also a $B$-linear $\hom_B(\omega_{B/A},B)\to B$ which evaluates $\varphi:\omega_{B/A}\to B$ at $\operatorname{tr}_{B/A}$. Composing these turns out to equal the multiplication map $J\to B$ (for the same reason as here). Using this we can show: if $\omega_{B/A}$ is an invertible $B$-module, then $\text{Ann}_B(\text{coker}(B\to\omega_{B/A}))$ equals the image of this map, i.e. $\mathfrak{d}(B/A)=\mathfrak{d}_N(B/A)$.

Question: Do we always have $\mathfrak{d}(B/A)=\mathfrak{d}_N(B/A)$ whenever $A\to B$ is finite projective? It would suffice to show $\omega_{B/A}$ is invertible whenever $A\to B$ is finite projective. Everything here commutes with localization so we may assume $A\to B$ is finite free. Furthermore, $\omega_{B/A}$ is a finitely presented $A$-module, so it is as a $B$-module as well. So it suffices to show it is rank $1$ and flat, though I don't know how to do either of these. I'm not sure how to get a very explicit description of the $B$-module structure on $\omega_{B/A}$. Maybe there's a way of avoiding invertibility of $\omega_{B/A}$ altogether though.

If this isn't true, is there a counterexample?

P-addict
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  • A theorem of Emmy Noether states that the two differents are equal under the following assumptions: $A$ is noetherian, every non-zero-divisor of $A$ is a non-zero-divisor of $B$, the extension $L|K$ of the total rings of fractions of $A$ and $B$ is etale. I found this theorem in the appendix of the book "Kähler differentials" by Ernst Kunz. – Hagen Knaf Aug 29 '23 at 07:44
  • @HagenKnaf Yeah, I was looking at that text too. I was unable to find the result you talk about though - I know under those conditions the Noether and Dedekind differents agree, but I'm unsure how to relate the Dedekind different to the different as defined above (frankly I'm quite unfamiliar with the former, so I might just be missing a quick argument, I'll think about it some more...). – P-addict Aug 29 '23 at 18:10
  • It is Theorem G.11 in the appendix. My edition of the book is from 1986. According to the information on Springer's homepage, there has never been another one. – Hagen Knaf Sep 04 '23 at 08:30
  • @HagenKnaf That is the result I was talking about in my comment above, but that result is about the Noether and Dedekind differents, not the different as defined in my question, unless I am missing something. Do they relate the Dedekind different to the different (as define above) somewhere else in the book? – P-addict Sep 04 '23 at 21:02
  • What about Lemma 49.9.2 of the Stacks project? It relates the different and the Dedekind different. Together with G.11 this could help. – Hagen Knaf Oct 10 '23 at 15:19

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