Contents

topos theory

# Contents

## Idea

An atomic topos is a topos $\mathcal{E}$ where the global sections functor $\Gamma: \mathcal{E} \to Set$ is atomic. In the case where $\mathcal{E}$ is a Grothendieck topos, there are some (arguably more explicit) alternative characterizations of atomic toposes, as in Theorem , which make it clearer why they are called “atomic”.

## Definition

###### Definition

A topos over a base topos $\Gamma : \mathcal{E} \to \mathcal{S}$ is called an atomic topos if $\Gamma$ is atomic. Unless otherwise specified, the base topos will be taken to be $Set$.

###### Definition

A non-zero object $A$ of a topos $\mathcal{E}$ is an atom if its only subobjects are $A$ and $0$.

###### Theorem

Let $\mathcal{E}$ be a Grothendieck topos. Then the following are equivalent:

1. $\mathcal{E}$ is an atomic topos.

2. $\mathcal{E}$ is the category of sheaves on an atomic site.

3. The subobject lattice of every object of $\mathcal{E}$ is a complete atomic Boolean algebra.

4. $\mathcal{E}$ has a small generating set of atoms.

5. Every object of $\mathcal{E}$ can be written as a disjoint union of atoms.

## Properties

###### Proposition

Let $\mathcal{E}$ be an atomic topos. Then $\mathcal{E}$ is Boolean.

This appears as one direction of (Johnstone, cor. C3.5.2).

###### Proof

If $\Gamma^*$ is logical then it preserves the isomorphism $* \coprod * \simeq \Omega$ characterizing a Boolean topos.

###### Proposition

Let $\mathcal{E}$ be a Boolean Grothendieck topos with enough points. Then $\mathcal{E}$ is an atomic topos.

###### Proof

See (Johnstone, cor. C3.5.2)

###### Proposition

Atomic Grothendieck toposes $Sh(\mathcal{C}, J_{at})$ for $(\mathcal{C}, J_{at})$ an atomic site are precisely the double negation subtoposes $Sh_{\neg\neg}(Set^{\mathcal{C}^{op}})$ for a De Morgan presheaf topos $Set^{\mathcal{C}^{op}}$.

###### Proof

For the argument see at atomic site.

### Decomposition of atomic toposes

Atomic toposes decompose as disjoint unions of connected atomic toposes. Connected atomic toposes with a point are the classifying toposes of localic groups.

An example of a connected atomic topos without a point is given in (Johnstone, example D3.4.14).

## References

Last revised on August 6, 2016 at 07:47:44. See the history of this page for a list of all contributions to it.