Equivalence of germs (of mappings and sets) over k vs that over K

Abstract

Consider real-analytic mapping-germs, (R^n,o)-> (R^m,o). They can be equivalent (by coordinate changes) complex-analytically, but not real-analytically. However, if the transformation of complex-equivalence is identity modulo higher order terms, then it implies the real-equivalence. On the other hand, starting from complex-analytic map-germs (C^n,o)->(C^m,o), and taking any field extension, C to K, one has: if two maps are equivalent over K, then they are equivalent over C. These (quite useful) properties seem to be not well known. We prove slightly stronger properties in a more general form: * for Maps(X,Y) where X,Y are (formal/analytic/Nash) scheme-germs, with arbitrary singularities, over a base ring k; * for the classical groups of (right/left-right/contact) equivalence of Singularity Theory; * for faithfully-flat extensions of rings k -> K. In particular, for arbitrary extension of fields, in any characteristic. The case ``k is a ring" is important for the study of deformations/unfoldings. E.g. it implies the statement for fields: if a family of maps {f_t} is trivial over K, then it is also trivial over k. Similar statements for scheme-germs (``isomorphism over K vs isomorphism over k") follow by the standard reduction ``Two maps are contact equivalent iff their zero sets are ambient isomorphic". This study involves the contact equivalence of maps with singular targets, which seems to be not well-established. We write down the relevant part of this theory.