We study dynamical systems arising from word maps on simple groups. We develop a geometric method based on the classical trace map for investigating periodic points of such systems. These results lead to a new approach to the search of Engel-like sequences of words in two variables which characterize finite solvable groups. They also give rise to some new phenomena and concepts in the arithmetic of dynamical systems.
We present a survey of results on word equations in simple groups, as well as their analogues and generalizations, which were obtained over the past decade using various methods, group-theoretic and coming from algebraic and arithmetic geometry, number theory, dynamical systems and computer algebra. Our focus is on interrelations of these machineries which led to numerous spectacular achievements, including solutions of several long-standing problems.
We construct the universal Mumford curve of given genus as a family of Mumford curves over the deformation space of degenerate curves in the category of arithmetic formal geometry. Furthermore, we give explicit formulas of abelian differentials and their periods of the universal Mumford curve.
The paper investigates some aspects of the geometry and the arithmetic of a non-rigid Calabi-Yau threefold. Particular emphasis is given to the study of its L-function L(H^3,s) and the Galois representation.
We study arithmetic distribution relations and the inverse function theorem in algebraic and arithmetic geometry, with an emphasis on versions that can be applied uniformly across families of varieties and maps. In particular, we prove two explicit versions of the inverse function theorem, the first via general distribution and separation inequalities that may be of independent interest, the second via a careful implementation of classical Newton iteration.
We define and investigate extension groups in the context of Arakelov geometry. The 'arithmetic extension groups' we introduce are extensions by groups of analytic types of the usual extension groups attached to $Ø_X$-modules over an arithmetic scheme $X$. In this paper, we focus on the first arithmetic extension group - the elements of which may be described in terms of admissible short exact sequences of hermitian vector bundles over $X$ - and we especially consider the case when $X$ is an 'arithmetic curve', namely the spectrum $\Spec Ø_K$ of the ring of integers in some number field $K$. T…
In this note we speculate about the structure of maximal product subvarieties in moduli stacks of Calabi-Yau manifolds. We discuss examples for quintic hypersurfaces in the four dimensional projective space.
We introduce the notions of deformation Higgs bundle and Riemann-Finsler metric on the moduli space of polarized varieties. We also use the Higgs-de Rham flow in the p-adic setting. These are the key novelties in our program.
This is a brief exposition of the mathematical themes that motivate the special programme at the Newton Institute in 2009. It is mostly intended for the general public having mathematical training up to the level of secondary school.
The notion of a tamely ramified covering is canonical only for curves. Several notions of tameness for coverings of higher dimensional schemes have been used in the literature. We show that all these definitions are essentially equivalent. Furthermore, we prove finiteness theorems for the tame fundamental groups of arithmetic schemes.
Those are the notes for the 2015 Summer Research Institute on Algebraic Geometry. We report on Deligne's finiteness theorem for $\ell$-adic representations on smooth varieties defined over a finite field, on its crystalline version, and on how the geometric étale fundamental group of a smooth projective variety defined over a characteristic $p>0$ field controls crystals on the infinitesimal site and should control those on the crystalline site. v2: last results added to the report, and some typos corrected.
This is the text of a series of five lectures given by the author at the "Second Annual Spring Institute on Noncommutative Geometry and Operator Algebras" held at Vanderbilt University in May 2004. It is meant as an overview of recent results illustrating the interplay between noncommutative geometry and arithmetic geometry/number theory.
This memoir is devoted to the study of formal-analytic arithmetic surfaces. These are arithmetic counterparts, in the context of Arakelov geometry, of germs of smooth complex-analytic surfaces along a projective complex curve. Formal-analytic surfaces provide a natural framework for arithmetic algebraization theorems, old and new. Formal-analytic arithmetic surfaces admit a rich geometry which parallels the geometry of complex analytic surfaces. Notably the dichotomy between pseudoconvexity and pseudoconcavity plays a central role in their geometry. Our study of formal-analytic arithmetic surf…
Those notes rest on the Samuel Eilenberg Lectures I gave at Columbia University, NY, in the fall 2022. I thank all the mathematicians who participated in their elaboration, directly or indirectly. They are meant to be published as a Springer Lecture Notes. This arXiv version is not identical with the final version.
We study Calabi-Yau manifolds constructed as double covers of ${\mathbb P}^3$ branched along an octic surface. We give a list of 85 examples corresponding to arrangements of eight planes defined over ${\mathbb Q}$. The Hodge numbers are computed for all examples. There are 7 rigid Calabi-Yau manifolds and 14 families with $h^{1,2}=1$. The modularity conjecture is verified for all the rigid examples.
We establish an implication between two long-standing open problems in complex dynamics. The roots of the $n$-th Gleason polynomial $G_n\in\mathbb{Q}[c]$ comprise the $0$-dimensional moduli space of quadratic polynomials with an $n$-periodic critical point. $\mathrm{Per}_n(0)$ is the $1$-dimensional moduli space of quadratic rational maps on $\mathbb{P}^1$ with an $n$-periodic critical point. We show that if $G_n$ is irreducible over $\mathbb{Q}$, then $\mathrm{Per}_n(0)$ is irreducible over $\mathbb{C}$. To do this, we exhibit a $\mathbb{Q}$-rational smooth point on a projective completion of…
We give an overview of several of the mathematical works of Gilles Lachaud and provide a historical context. This is interspersed with some personal anecdotes highlighting many facets of his personality.
We define a superspace over a ring $R$ as a functor on a subcategory of the category of supercommutative $R$-algebras. As an application the notion of a $p$-adic superspace is introduced and used to give a transparent construction of the Frobenius map on $p$-adic cohomology of a smooth projective variety over the ring of $p$-adic integers.
We survey some aspects of the theory of elliptic surfaces and give some results aimed at determining the Picard number of such a surface. For the surfaces considered, this will be equivalent to determining the Mordell-Weil rank of an elliptic curve defined over a function field in one variable. An interesting conjecture concerning Galois actions on the relative de~Rham cohomology of these surfaces is discussed.
We introduce the Arithmetic Site: an algebraic geometric space deeply related to the non-commutative geometric approach to the Riemann Hypothesis. We prove that the non-commutative space quotient of the adele class space of the field of rational numbers by the maximal compact subgroup of the idele class group, which we had previously shown to yield the correct counting function to obtain the complete Riemann zeta function as Hasse-Weil zeta function, is the set of geometric points of the arithmetic site over the semifield of tropical real numbers. The action of the multiplicative group of posi…
A Teichmüller curve is an algebraic and isometric immersion of an algebraic curve into the moduli space of Riemann surfaces. We give the first explicit algebraic models of Teichmüller curves of positive genus. Our methods are based on the study of certain Hilbert modular forms and the use of Ahlfors's variational formula to identify eigenforms for real multiplication on genus two Jacobians. We also present evidence that Teichmüller curves admit a rich arithmetic geometry by exhibiting examples with small primes of bad reduction and notable divisors supported at their cusps.
In recent work with Bhatt and Morrow, we defined a new integral p-adic cohomology theory interpolating between etale and de Rham cohomology. An unexpected feature of this cohomology is that in coordinates, it can be computed by a q-deformation of the de Rham complex, which is thus canonical, at least in the derived category. In this short survey, we try to explain what we know about this phenomenon, and what can be conjectured to hold.
We prove an arithmetic analogue of Fujita's approximation theorem in Arakelov geometry, conjectured by Moriwaki, by using slope method and measures associated to $\mathbb R$-filtrations.
Harder's reduction theory provides filtrations of euclidean buildings that allow one to deduce cohomological and homological properties of S-arithmetic groups over global function fields. In this survey I will sketch the main points of Harder's reduction theory starting from Weil's geometry of numbers and the Riemann-Roch theorem, describe a filtration that is particularly useful for deriving finiteness properties of S-arithmetic groups, and state the rank conjecture and its partial verifications that do not restrict the cardinality of the underlying field of constants. As a motivation for fur…
We define the concept of self-similarity of an object by considering endomorphisms of the object as `similarity' maps. A variety of interesting examples of self-similar objects in geometry, algebra and arithmetic are introduced. Self-similar objects provide a framework in which, one can unite some results and conjectures in different mathematical frameworks. In some general situations, one can define a well-behaved notion of dimension for self-similar objects. Morphisms between self-similar objects are also defined and a categorical treatment of this concept is provided. We conclude by some ph…
We study locally free sheaves of rank two on the projective line over the integers, especially indecomposable ones. Subsequently we apply various concepts of Arakelov geometry to these sheaves. We compute for example the arithmetic Chern classes and use the arithmetic Riemann-Roch theorem.
For an arithmetic surface $X\to B=\operatorname{Spec} O_K$ the Deligne pairing $\left <\,,\,\right > \colon \operatorname{Pic}(X) \times \operatorname{Pic}(X) \to \operatorname{Pic}(B)$ gives the "schematic contribution" to the Arakelov intersection number. We present an idelic and adelic interpretation of the Deligne pairing; this is the first crucial step for a full idelic and adelic interpretation of the Arakelov intersection number. For the idelic approach we show that the Deligne pairing can be lifted to a pairing $\left<\,,\,\right>_i:\ker(d^1_\times)\times \ker(d^1_\times)\to\operatorna…
In this paper we prove a concentration theorem for arithmetic $K_0$-theory, this theorem can be viewed as an analog of R. Thomason's result in the arithmetic case. We will use this arithmetic concentration theorem to prove a relative fixed point formula of Lefschetz type in the context of Arakelov geometry. Such a formula was conjectured of a slightly stronger form by K. Köhler and D. Roessler and they also gave a correct route of its proof. Nevertheless our new proof is much simpler since it looks more natural and it doesn't involve too many complicated computations.
This work is devoted to study orientation theory in arithmetic geometric within the motivic homotopy theory of Morel and Voevodsky. The main tool is a formulation of the absolute purity property for an \emph{arithmetic cohomology theory}, either represented by a cartesian section of the stable homotopy category or satisfying suitable axioms. We give many examples, formulate conjectures and prove a useful property of analytical invariance. Within this axiomatic, we thoroughly develop the theory of characteristic and fundamental classes, Gysin and residue morphisms. This is used to prove Riemann…
These are the notes of my lectures at the 1996 European Congress of Mathematicians. {} Polynomials appear in mathematics frequently, and we all know from experience that low degree polynomials are easier to deal with than high degree ones. It is, however, not clear that there is a well defined class of "low degree" polynomials. For many questions, polynomials behave well if their degree is low enough, but the precise bound on the degree depends on the concrete problem. {} It turns out that there is a collection of basic questions in arithmetic, algebraic geometry and topology all of which give…
This note completes a talk given at the conference Curves over Finite Fields: past, present and future celebrating the publication the book {\em Rational Points on Curves over Finite Fields by J.-P. Serre and organised at Centro de ciencias de Benasque in june 2021. It discusses a part of the history of algebraic geometry codes together with some of their recent applications. A particular focus is done on the "multiplicative" structure of these codes, i.e. their behaviour with respect to the component wise product. Some open questions are raised and discussed.
The concept of weights on the cohomology of algebraic varieties was initiated by fundamental ideas and work of A. Grothendieck and P. Deligne. It is deeply connected with the concept of motives and appeared first on the singular cohomology as the weights of (possibly mixed) Hodge structures and on the etale cohomology as the weights of eigenvalues of Frobenius. But weights also appear on algebraic fundamental groups and in p-adic Hodge theory, where they become only visible after applying the comparison functors of Fontaine. After rehearsing various versions of weights, we explain some more re…
In this paper we treat in details a modular variety $\cal Y$ that has a Calabi-Yau model, $\tilde{\cal Y}$. We shall describe the structure of the ring of modular forms and its geometry. We shall illustrate two different methods of producing the Hodge numbers. The first uses the definition of $\cal Y$ as the quotient of another known Calabi-Yau variety. In this case we will get the Hodge numbers considering the action of the group on a crepant resolution $\tilde{\cal X}$ of $\cal X$. The second, purely algebraic geometric, uses the equations derived from the ring of modular forms and is based …
According to the holography principle (due to G.`t Hooft, L. Susskind, J. Maldacena, et al.), quantum gravity and string theory on certain manifolds with boundary can be studied in terms of a conformal field theory on the boundary. Only a few mathematically exact results corroborating this exciting program are known. In this paper we interpret from this perspective several constructions which arose initially in the arithmetic geometry of algebraic curves. We show that the relation between hyperbolic geometry and Arakelov geometry at arithmetic infinity involves exactly the same geometric data …
We introduce the positive intersection product in Arakelov geometry and prove that the arithmetic volume function is continuously differentiable. As applications, we compute the distribution function of the asymptotic measure of a Hermitian line bundle and several other arithmetic invariants.
Maschke's Calabi-Yau threefold is the double cover of projective three space branched along Maschke's octic surface. This surface is defined by the lowest degree invariant of a certain finite group acting on a four dimensional vector space. Using this group, we show that the middle Betti cohomology group of the threefold decomposes into the direct sum of 150 two-dimensional Hodge substructures. We exhibit one dimensional families of rational curves on the threefold and verify that the associated Abel-Jacobi map is non-trivial. By counting the number of points over finite fields, we determine t…
We study a K3 surface, which appears in the two-loop mixed electroweak-quantum chromodynamic virtual corrections to Drell--Yan scattering. A detailed analysis of the geometric Picard lattice is presented, computing its rank and discriminant in two independent ways: first using explicit divisors on the surface and then using an explicit elliptic fibration. We also study in detail the elliptic fibrations of the surface and use them to provide an explicit Shioda--Inose structure. Moreover, we point out the physical relevance of our results.
Arithmetic dynamics is the study of number theoretic properties of dynamical systems. A relatively new field, it draws inspiration partly from dynamical analogues of theorems and conjectures in classical arithmetic geometry, and partly from $p$-adic analogues of theorems and conjectures in classical complex dynamics. In this article we survey some of the motivating problems and some of the recent progress in the field of arithmetic dynamics.
Arithmetic combinatorics is often concerned with the problem of bounding the behaviour of arbitrary finite sets in a group or ring with respect to arithmetic operations such as addition or multiplication. Similarly, combinatorial geometry is often concerned with the problem of bounding the behaviour of arbitrary finite collections of geometric objects such as points, lines, or circles with respect to geometric operations such as incidence or distance. Given the presence of arbitrary finite sets in these problems, the methods used to attack these problems have primarily been combinatorial in na…
In this paper, we study the monodromy of Appell hypergeometric partial differential equations, which lead us to find four derivatives which are associated to the group GL(3). Our four derivatives have the remarkable properties. We find that Appell hypergeometric partial differential equations can be reduced to four nonlinear partial differential equations by the use of our four derivatives. We investigate these four nonlinear partial differential equations. We are interested in some particular cases. In these cases, the system of linear partial differential equations has the remarkable propert…
In Arakelov theory a completion of an arithmetic surface is achieved by enlarging the group of divisors by formal linear combinations of the ``closed fibers at infinity''. Manin described the dual graph of any such closed fiber in terms of an infinite tangle of bounded geodesics in a hyperbolic handlebody endowed with a Schottky uniformization. In this paper we consider arithmetic surfaces over the ring of integers in a number field, with fibers of genus $g\geq 2$. We use Connes' theory of spectral triples to relate the hyperbolic geometry of the handlebody to Deninger's Archimedean cohomology…
In the present paper, we will show that three apparently disjoint objects: Galois representations arising from twenty-seven lines on a cubic surface (number theory and arithmetic algebraic geometry), Picard modular forms (automorphic forms), rigid Calabi-Yau threefolds and their arithmetic (Diophantine geometry) are intimately related to Hessian polyhedra and their invariants. We construct a Galois representation whose image is a proper subgroup of $W(E_6)$, the Weyl group of the exceptional Lie algebra $E_6$. We give a conjecture about the identification of two different kinds of $L$-function…
This article describes results of joint work with Michael Rapoport and Tonghai Yang. First, we construct an modular form ϕ(τ) of weight 3/2 valued in the arithmetic Chow group of the arithmetic surface M attached toa Shimura curve over Q. The q-expansion of this function is an analogue of the Hirzebruch-Zagier generating function for the cohomology classes of curves on a Hilbert modular surface. This`arithmetic theta function' is used to define an `arithmetic theta lift' from modular forms of weight 3/2 to the arithmetic Chow group of M. For integers t_1 and t_2 with t_1t_2 not a square, the (…
We study the geometry and arithmetic of so-called primary Burniat surfaces, a family of surfaces of general type arising as smooth bidouble covers of a del Pezzo surface of degree 6 and at the same time as étale quotients of certain hypersurfaces in a product of three elliptic curves. We give a new explicit description of their moduli space and determine their possible automorphism groups. We also give an explicit description of the set of curves of geometric genus 1 on each primary Burniat surface. We then describe how one can try to obtain a description of the set of rational points on a giv…
Awfully idiosyncratic lecture notes from CMI summer school in arithmetic geometry July 31-August 4, 2006. Does not include: rationality problems, techniques of the minimal model problem and much of the rest. Includes: Lecture 0: geometry and arithmetic of curves Lecture 1: Kodaira dimension and properties, rational connectendess, Lang's and Campana's conjectures. Lecture 2: Campana's program; Campana constellations framed in terms of b-divisors, to allow for a definition of Kodaira dimension directly on the base. A speculative notion of firmaments which may deserve further investigation, espec…
We present an Arakelov theoretic version of the deformation to the normal cone. In particular, the geometric data is enriched with a deformation of a Hermitian line bundle. We introduce numerical invariants called arithmetic Hilbert invariants and prove the conservation of these invariants along the deformation. In a following article, this conservation of number theorem will allow a demonstration of the arithmetic Hilbert-Samuel theorem.
