Scheme theoretic tropicalization

In this paper, we introduce ordered blueprints and ordered blue schemes, which serve as a common language for the different approaches to tropicalizations and which enhances tropical varieties with a schematic structure. As an abstract concept, we consider a tropicalization as a moduli problem about extensions of a given valuation $v:k\to T$ between ordered blueprints $k$ and $T$. If $T$ is idempotent, then we show that a generalization of the Giansiracusa bend relation leads to a representing object for the tropicalization, and that it has yet another interpretation in terms of a base change along $v$. We call such a representing object a scheme theoretic tropicalization. This theory recovers and improves other approaches to tropicalizations as we explain with care in the second part of this text. The Berkovich analytification and the Kajiwara-Payne tropicalization appear as rational point sets of a scheme theoretic tropicalization. The same holds true for its generalization by Foster and Ranganathan to higher rank valuations. The scheme theoretic Giansiracusa tropicalization can be recovered from the scheme theoretic tropicalizations in our sense. We obtain an improvement due to the resulting blueprint structure, which is sufficient to remember the Maclagan-Rinc\'on weights. The Macpherson analytification has an interpretation in terms of a scheme theoretic tropicalization, and we give an alternative approach to Macpherson's construction of tropicalizations. The Thuillier analytification and the Ulirsch tropicalization are rational point sets of a scheme theoretic tropicalization. Our approach yields a generalization to any, possibly nontrivial, valuation $v:k\to T$ with idempotent $T$ and enhances the tropicalization with a schematic structure.Comment: 66 pages; for information about the changes in this version of the paper, please cf. the paragraph "Differences to previous versions" in the introductio

Duality and separation theorems in idempotent semimodules

We consider subsemimodules and convex subsets of semimodules over semirings with an idempotent addition. We introduce a nonlinear projection on subsemimodules: the projection of a point is the maximal approximation from below of the point in the subsemimodule. We use this projection to separate a point from a convex set. We also show that the projection minimizes the analogue of Hilbert's projective metric. We develop more generally a theory of dual pairs for idempotent semimodules. We obtain as a corollary duality results between the row and column spaces of matrices with entries in idempotent semirings. We illustrate the results by showing polyhedra and half-spaces over the max-plus semiring.Comment: 24 pages, 5 Postscript figures, revised (v2