# Beware of the Two Galois Actions

Posted by Jason Polak on 22. December 2015 · Write a comment · Categories: algebraic-geometry, commutative-algebra · Tags: ,

Let $F$ be a field and $E/F$ be a nontrivial Galois extensions with Galois group $\Gamma$. If $V$ is an $F$-scheme then the points $V(E)$ carry a natural action of $\Gamma$ via the action on $\mathrm{Spec}(E)$. Sometimes, however, $V$ might have two Galois actions. How does this arise?

Perhaps the most natural setting is when $V$ is defined using the restriction of scalars functor. For example, if $X$ is an $E$-scheme, then $V = \mathrm{Res}_{E/F}(X)$ is by definition the scheme whose points in an $F$-algebra $R$ are given by
$$V(R) = X(R\otimes_F E).$$
Then, for any such $R$, the set $V(R)$ has a natural action of $\Gamma$ acting on $E$ in the tensor product $R\otimes_F E$. On the other hand, if $R$ is an $E$-algebra, then $V(R)$ will also have a $\Gamma$-action, via the action of $\Gamma$ on $R$. And, these two actions won't be the same!
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