In mathematics, a constructible sheaf is a sheaf

Sheaf (mathematics)

In mathematics, a sheaf is a tool for systematically tracking locally defined data attached to the open sets of a topological space. The data can be restricted to smaller open sets, and the data assigned to an open set is equivalent to all collections of compatible data assigned to collections of...

 of abelian group

Abelian group

In abstract algebra, an abelian group, also called a commutative group, is a group in which the result of applying the group operation to two group elements does not depend on their order . Abelian groups generalize the arithmetic of addition of integers...

s over some topological space

Topological space

Topological spaces are mathematical structures that allow the formal definition of concepts such as convergence, connectedness, and continuity. They appear in virtually every branch of modern mathematics and are a central unifying notion...

 X, such that X is the union of a finite number of locally closed subsets on each of which the sheaf is a twisted constant sheaf. It is a generalization of constructible topology in classical algebraic geometry.

In l-adic cohomology constructible sheaves are defined in a similar way .
A sheaf of abelian groups on a Noetherian scheme is called constructible if the scheme has a finite cover by subschemes on which the sheaf is locally constant constructible (meaning represented by an etale cover). The constructible sheaves form an abelian category

Abelian category

In mathematics, an abelian category is a category in which morphisms and objects can be added and in which kernels and cokernels exist and have desirable properties. The motivating prototype example of an abelian category is the category of abelian groups, Ab. The theory originated in a tentative...

.