Vector fields as a module over the ring of smooth functions

differential-geometrylinear algebramanifoldsmodules

Let $N=\Gamma(TM)$ be the $C^{\infty}(M)$-module of smooth vector fields over a manifold $M$ (that can be considered compact).

Is it true that $N$ is a semisimple module ? If not, is that condition associated to a topological obstruction on the manifold ?

Best Answer

No, $N$ is never semisimple if $M$ is positive-dimensional. There are many ways to see this. For instance, if $f\in C^\infty(M)$ is any function supported on a single coordinate chart of $M$, then the localization $N_f$ is free over $C^\infty(M)_f$ of rank $\dim M$. If $N$ were semisimple, then $N_f$ would also be semisimple, and thus $C^\infty(M)_f$ would be semisimple if $\dim M>0$. But a semisimple ring is in particular Noetherian, and $C^\infty(M)_f$ is not Noetherian if $\dim M>0$ and $f$ is nonzero (for instance, any decreasing sequence of closed subsets on which $f$ is nonzero gives an increasing sequence of ideals in $C^\infty(M)_f$).