Moduli problems in abelian categories and the reconstruction theorem

Abstract

We give a moduli-theoretic proof of the classical theorem of Gabriel, stating that a scheme can be reconstructed from the abelian category of quasi-coherent sheaves over it. The methods employed are elementary and allow us to extend the theorem to (quasi-compact and separated) algebraic spaces. Using more advanced technology (and assuming atness) we also give a proof of the folklore result that the group of auto-equivalences of the category of quasi-coherent sheaves consists of automorphisms of the underlying space and twists by line bundles. We apply our strategy to prove analogous statements for categories of sheaves twisted by a Gm-gerbe. Our methods allow us to treat even gerbes not coming from a Brauer class. As a pleasant consequence, we deduce a Morita theory for sheaves of abelian categories.