For a K3 surface over a field of characteristic 2 which is finitely generated over its prime subfield, we prove that the cokernel of the natural map from the Brauer group of the base field to that of the K3 surface is finite modulo the 2-primary torsion subgroup. In characteristic different from 2, such results were previously proved by A. N. Skorobogatov and Y. G. Zarhin. We basically follow their methods with an extra care in the case of superspecial K3 surfaces using the recent results of W. Kim and K. Madapusi Pera on the Kuga-Satake construction and the Tate conjecture for K3 surfaces in characteristic 2.
Let $k$ be a field finitely generated over the finite field $\mathbb F_p$ of odd characteristic $p$. For any K3 surface $X$ over $k$ we prove that the prime to $p$ component of the cokernel of the natural map $Br(k)\to Br(X)$ is finite.
The Tate conjecture for divisors on varieties over number fields is equivalent to finiteness of $\ell$-primary torsion in the Brauer group. We show that this finiteness is actually uniform in one-dimensional families for varieties that satisfy the Tate conjecture for divisors -- e.g. abelian varieties and $K3$ surfaces.
Let $k$ be a field that is finitely generated over the field of rational numbers and $Br(k)$ the Brauer group of $k$. Let $X$ be an absolutely irreducible smooth projective variety over $k$, let $Br(X)$ be the cohomological Brauer-Grothendieck group of $X$ and $Br_0(X)$ the image of $Br(k)$ in $Br(X)$. We write $Br_1(X)$ for the subgroup of elements in $Br(X)$ that become trivial after replacing $k$ by its algebraic closure. We prove that $Br(X)/Br_0(X)$ is finite if $X$ is a $K3$ surface. When $X$ is (a principal homogeneous space of) an abelian variety over $k$ then we prove that $Br(X)/Br_1…
Let $X$ be a smooth projective variety over a finitely generated field $K$ of characteristic $p>0$. We proved that the finiteness of the $\ell$-primary part of $\mathrm{Br}(X_{K^s})^{G_K}$ for a single prime $\ell\neq p$ will imply the finiteness of the prime-to-$p$ part of $\mathrm{Br}(X_{K^s})^{G_K}$, generalizing a theorem of Tate and Lichtenbaum for varieties over finite fields. For an abelian variety $A$ over $K$, we proved a similar result for the Tate-Shafarevich group of $A$, generalizing a theorem of Schneider for abelian varieties over global function fields.
We wish to give a short elementary proof of S. Saito's result that the Brauer-Manin obstruction for zero-cycles of degree 1 is the only one for curves, supposing the finiteness of the Tate-Shafarevich-group $\sha^1(A)$ of the Jacobian variety. In fact we show that we only need a conjecturally finite part of the Brauer-group for this obstruction to be the only one. We also comment on the situation in higher dimensions
Let D be a finite-dimensional central division algebra over a field K. We define the genus gen(D) of D to be the collection of classes in the Brauer group of K represented by central division K-algebras D' having the same maximal subfields as D. In this paper, we describe a general approach to proving the finiteness of gen(D) and estimating its size that involves the unramified Brauer group with respect to an appropriate set of discrete valuations of K.
Let X be a smooth variety over a number field k embedded as a degree d subvariety of $\mathbb{P}^n$ and suppose that X is a counterexample to the Hasse principle explained by the Brauer-Manin obstruction. We consider the question of whether the obstruction is given by the d-primary subgroup of the Brauer group, which would have both theoretic and algorithmic implications. We prove that this question has a positive answer in the case of torsors under abelian varieties, Kummer surfaces and (conditional on finiteness of Tate-Shafarevich groups) bielliptic surfaces. For Kummer varieties we show th…
We show that Colliot-Thélène's conjecture on 0-cycles of degree 1 implies finiteness for the u-invariant of the function field of a curve over a totally imaginary number field and period-index bounds for the Brauer groups of arbitrary fields of transcendence degree 1 over the rational numbers.
We use lattice theory to study the isogeny class of a K3 surface. Starting from isotropic Brauer classes, we construct isogenies via Kneser method of neighboring lattices. We also determine the fields of definition of isogenous K3 surfaces, and study Kneser construction over number fields. We then apply our results to relate conjectures about the finiteness of Brauer groups and Néron-Severi lattices of K3 surfaces.
It is known that, under a necessary non-compactness assumption, the Brauer-Manin obstruction is the only one to strong approximation on homogeneous spaces $X$ under a linear group $G$ (or under a connected algebraic group, under assumption of finiteness of a suitable Tate-Shafarevich group), provided that the geometric stabilizers of $X$ are connected. In this work we prove, under similar assumptions, that the étale-Brauer-Manin obstruction to strong approximation is the only one for homogeneous spaces with arbitrary stabilisers. We also deal with some related questions, concerning strong appr…
We define a generalization of the Brauer group $\operatorname{H}_\mathrm{B}^{n}(X)$ for an equi-dimensional scheme $X$ and $n>0$. In the case where $X$ is the spectrum of a local ring of a smooth algebra over a discrete valuation ring, $\operatorname{H}_\mathrm{B}^{n}(X)$ agrees with the étale motivic cohomology $\operatorname{H}^{n+1}_{\mathrm{\acute{e}t}}\left(X, \mathbb{Z}(n-1)\right)$. We prove (a part of) the Gersten-type conjecture for the generalized Brauer group for a local ring of a smooth algebra over a mixed characteristic discrete valuation ring and an isomorphism $ \operatorname{H…
Let $k$ be a finitely generated field of characteristic $p>0$ and $X$ a smooth and proper scheme over $k$. Recent works of Cadoret, Hui and Tamagawa show that, if $X$ satisfies the $\ell$-adic Tate conjecture for divisors for every prime $\ell\neq p$, the Galois invariant subgroup $Br(X_{\overline k})[p']^{π_1(k)}$ of the prime-to-$p$ torsion of the geometric Brauer group of $X$ is finite. The main result of this note is that, for every integer $d\geq 1$, there exists a constant $C:=C(X,d)$ such that for every finite field extension $k \subseteq k'$ with $[k':k]\leq d$ and every $(\overline k/…
Let k be any global field of characteristic not 2. We construct a k-variety X such that X(k) is empty, but for which the emptiness cannot be explained by the Brauer-Manin obstruction or even by the Brauer-Manin obstruction applied to finite etale covers.
Using a reduction of the Galois cohomology of a linear algebraic group $G$ to that of a certain finite subquotient, we give different formulas allowing the calculation of the unramified algebraic Brauer group of a homogeneous space $V=G\backslash G'$ with $G'$ semisimple and simply connected, both over a finite field and over an arbitrary field of characteristic $0$.
We study arithmetic of the algebraic varieties defined over number fields by applying Lagrange interpolation to fibrations. Assuming the finiteness of the Tate-Shafarevich group of a certain elliptic curve, we show, for Châtelet surface bundles over curves, that the violation of Hasse principle being accounted for by the Brauer-Manin obstruction is not invariant under an arbitrary finite extension of the ground field.
We give formulas for calculating the unramified Brauer group of a homogeneous space $X$ of a semisimple simply connected group $G$ with finite geometric stabilizer $\bar F$ over a wide family of fields of characteristic 0. When $k$ is a number field, we use these formulas in order to study the Brauer-Manin obstruction to the Hasse principle and weak approximation. We prove in particular that the Brauer-Manin pairing is constant on $X(k_v)$ for every $v$ outside from an explicit finite set of non archimedean places of $k$.
For a homogeneous space X of a connected algebraic group G (with connected stabilizers) over a field k of characteristic zero, we construct a canonical complex of Galois modules of length 3 and a canonical isomorphism between an hypercohomology group of this complex and an explicit subgroup of the Brauer group of X. This result is obtained as a consequence of a formula describing the "algebraic Brauer group of a torsor", and it generalizes recent results by Borovoi and van Hamel, by considering non-linear groups G and by taking into account some transcendental elements in the Brauer group of X…
A purity conjecture due to Grothendieck and Auslander--Goldman predicts that the Brauer group of a regular scheme does not change after removing a closed subscheme of codimension $\ge 2$. The combination of several works of Gabber settles the conjecture except for some cases that concern $p$-torsion Brauer classes in mixed characteristic $(0, p)$. We establish the remaining cases by using the tilting equivalence for perfectoid rings. To reduce to perfectoids, we control the change of the Brauer group of the punctured spectrum of a local ring when passing to a finite flat cover.
We compute the Brauer group of the moduli stack of elliptic curves over the integers, localizations of the integers, finite fields of odd characteristic, and algebraically closed fields of characteristic not $2$. The methods involved include the use of the parameter space of Legendre curves and the moduli stack of curves with full (naive) level $2$ structure, the study of the descent spectral sequence in étale cohomology and the Leray spectral sequence in fppf cohomology, the computation of the group cohomology of $S_3$ in a certain integral representation, the classification of cubic Galois e…
Almost one decade ago, Poonen constructed the first examples of algebraic varieties over global fields for which Skorobogatov's etale Brauer-Manin obstruction does not explain the failure of the Hasse principle. By now, several constructions are known, but they all share common geometric features such as large fundamental groups. In this paper, we construct simply connected fourfolds over global fields of positive characteristic for which the Brauer-Manin machinery fails. Contrary to earlier work in this direction, our construction does not rely on major conjectures. Instead, we establish a ne…
We use recent advances in the local evaluation of Brauer elements to study the role played by {\it odd} torsion elements of the Brauer group in the arithmetic of diagonal quartic surfaces over {\it arbitrary} number fields. We show that over a local field if the order of the Brauer element is odd and coprime to the residue characteristic then the evaluation map it induces on the local points is constant. Over number fields we give a sufficient condition on the coefficients of the equation, which is mild and easy to check, so that the odd torsion does not obstruct weak approximation. We also no…
Given any global field k of characteristic 2, we construct a Chatelet surface over k which fails to satisfy the Hasse principle. This failure is due to a Brauer-Manin obstruction. This construction extends a result of Poonen to characteristic 2, thereby showing that the etale-Brauer obstruction is insufficient to explain all failures of the Hasse principle over a global field of any characteristic.
Let X be a smooth double cover of a geometrically ruled surface defined over a separably closed field of characteristic different from 2. The main result of this paper is a finite presentation of the 2-torsion in the Brauer group of X with generators given by central simple algebras over the function field of X and relations coming from the Néron-Severi group of X. In particular, the result gives a central simple algebra representative for the unique nontrivial Brauer class on any Enriques surface. An example demonstrating the applications to the study of rational points is given.
Let $k$ be a perfect field and let $p$ be a prime number different from the characteristic of $k$. Let $C$ be a smooth, projective and geometrically integral $k$-curve and let $X$ be a Severi-Brauer $C$-scheme of relative dimension $p-1$ . In this paper we show that $CH^{d}(X)_{\rm{tors}}$ contains a subgroup isomorphic to $CH_{0}(X/C)$ for every $d$ in the range $2\leq d\leq p$. We deduce that, if $k$ is a number field, then $CH^{d}(X)$ is finitely generated for every $d$ in the indicated range.
Over a normal base scheme, we prove the generalized Theorem of the Cube for 1-motives and that a torsion class of the group H^2_ét(M,G_m)$ of a 1-motive M, whose pull-back via the unit section is zero, comes from an Azumaya algebra. In particular, we deduce that over an algebraically closed field of characteristic zero, all classes of H^2_ét(M,G_m) come from Azumaya algebras.
In this paper we give an algorithm for computing equations of Brauer-Severi varieties over perfect fields of characteristic 0. As an example we show the equations of all Brauer-Severi surfaces defined over $\mathbb{Q}$.
Merkurjev's theorem--the statement that the 2-torsion of the Brauer group is represented by Clifford algebras of quadratic forms--is in general false when the base is no longer a field. The work of Parimala, Scharlau, and Sridharan proves the existence of smooth complete curves over local fields, over which Merkurjev's theorem is equivalent to the existence of a rational theta characteristic. Here, we prove that for smooth curves over a local field or surfaces over a finite field, replacing the Witt group by the total Witt group of all line bundle-valued quadratic forms recovers Merkurjev's th…
We obtain several finiteness results for the unramified cohomology of function fields of algebraic varieties defined over fields of type (F'_m), a class that includes algebraically closed fields, finite fields, local fields, and some higher local fields of characteristic 0.
Let k be a field, G a finite group embedded in the k-group SL(n). For k an algebraically closed field, Bogomolov gave a formula for the unramified Brauer group of the quotient SL(n)/G. We develop his method over any characteristic zero field. This purely algebraic method enables us to recover and generalize results of Harari and of Demarche over number fields, such as the triviality of the unramified Brauer group for k=Q and G of odd order. --- Soient k un corps et G un groupe fini plongé dans le k-groupe SL(n).Pour k algébriquement clos, Bogomolov a donné une formule pour le groupe de Brauer …
We prove finiteness results on integral points on complements of large divisors in projective varieties over finitely generated fields of characteristic zero. To do so, we prove a function field analogue of arithmetic finiteness results of Corvaja-Zannier and Levin using Wang's function field Subspace Theorem. We then use a method of Evertse-Győry for concluding finiteness of integral points over finitely generated fields from known finiteness results over number fields.
We introduce the relative units-Picard complex of an arbitrary morphism of schemes and apply it to the problem of describing the (cohomological) Brauer group of a (fiber) product of schemes in terms of the Brauer groups of the factors. Under certain hypotheses, we obtain a five-term exact sequence involving the preceding groups which enables us to solve the indicated problem in the case of, e.g., (certain types of) ruled varieties over a field of characteristic zero.
On the bounded-conductor finiteness conjecture in equal characteristic
Shanghai Institute for Mathematics and Interdisciplinary Sciences (SIMIS)（上海数学与交叉学科研究院）；Research Institute of Intelligent Complex Systems, Fudan University（复旦大学复杂系统智能研究院）；Fakultät 8 – Mathematik und Physik, Universität Stuttgart（斯图加特大学第八学院——数学与物理系）
Let $X$ be a smooth curve over a finitely generated field $k$, and let $\ell$ be a prime different from the characteristic of $k$. We analyze the dynamics of the Galois action on the deformation rings of mod $\ell$ representations of the geometric fundamental group of $X$. Using this analysis, we prove analogues of the Shafarevich and Fontaine-Mazur finiteness conjectures for function fields over algebraically closed fields in arbitrary characteristic, and a weak variant of the Frey-Mazur conjecture for function fields in characteristic zero. For example, we show that if $X$ is a normal, conne…
We use twisted sheaves and their moduli spaces to study the Brauer group of a scheme. In particular, we (1) show how twisted methods can be efficiently used to re-prove the basic facts about the Brauer group and cohomological Brauer group (including Gabber's theorem that they coincide for a separated union of two affine schemes), (2) give a new proof of de Jong's period-index theorem for surfaces over algebraically closed fields, and (3) prove an analogous result for surfaces over finite fields. We also include a reduction of all period-index problems for Brauer groups of function fields over …
Building upon our arithmetic duality theorems for 1-motives, we prove that the Manin obstruction related to a finite subquotient $\Be (X)$ of the Brauer group is the only obstruction to the Hasse principle for rational points on torsors under semiabelian varieties over a number field, assuming the finiteness of the Tate-Shaferevich group of the abelian quotient. This theorem answers a question by Skorobogatov in the semiabelian case and is a key ingredient of recent work on the elementary obstruction for homogeneous spaces over number fields. We also establish a Cassels-Tate type dual exact se…
Given a finite field k of characteristic at least 5, we show that the Tate conjecture holds for K3 surfaces defined over the algebraic closure of k if and only if there are only finitely many K3 surfaces over each finite extension of k.
In this paper, we define a generalization of the Brauer groups by using Bloch's cycle complex on etale site. We prove the Gersten conjecture of generalized Brauer group on some cases. As an application we prove the Gersten conjecture of the logarithmic Hodge-Witt cohomology for a two dimensional regular local ring which is smooth over a spectrum of some discrete valuation ring of characteristic $p>0$. Moreover we consider a generalization of Artin's theorem on Brauer groups.
Embeddings of maximal tori into classical groups over global fields of characteristic not 2 are the subject matter of several recent papers, with special attention to the Hasse principle. The present paper gives necessary and sufficient conditions for this embedding problem, and in particular for the Hasse principle to hold. Using work of Borovoi, this is interpreted as a Brauer-Manin type obstruction.
We define and compute $\operatorname{ABrd}_p(F)$, the asymptotic Brauer $p$-dimension of a field $F$, in cases where $F$ is a rational function field or Laurent series field. $\operatorname{ABrd}_p(F)$ is defined like the Brauer $p$-dimension except it considers finite sets of Brauer classes instead of single classes. Our main result shows that for fields $F_0(α_1,\dots,α_n)$ and $F_0 (\!( α_1)\!) \dots(\!(α_n)\!)$ where $F_0$ is a perfect field of characteristic $p>0$ when $n \geq 2$ the asymptotic Brauer $p$-dimension is $n$. We also show that it is $n-1$ when $F=F_0 (\!( α_1)\!) \dots(\!(α_…
Let K be a complete discretely valued field of characteristic 0 with residue field k of characteristic p. Let n=[k:k^p] be the p-rank of k. It was proved by Parimala and Suresh that the Brauer p-dimension of K lies between n/2 and 2n. For n< 4, we improve the upper bound to n+1 and provide examples to show that our bound is sharp. For n < 3, we also improve the lower bound to n. For general $n$, we construct a family of fields K_n with residue fields of p-rank n, such that K_n admits a central simple algebra D_n of index p^{n+1}. Our sharp lower bounds for n<3 and upper bounds for n< 4 in comb…
It is shown that, over a field of characteristic not $2$, the dimension of an anisotropic quadratic Pfister form of trivial total signature is at most twice the dimension of some central division algebra of exponent $2$. The proof is based on computations with quadratic trace forms of central simple algebras.
We introduce geometric and homological finiteness properties for countable approximate groups via coarse geometry and then study these finiteness properties for S-arithmetic reductive approximate groups. For S-arithmetic approximate groups without infinite places we show that the finiteness length is finite and compute this finiteness length explicitly. In the simple case it is one less than the sum of the local ranks. This extends the Rank Theorem of Bux, Köhl and the second author from positive characteristic to characteristic zero. Our proof is based on a geometric version of their proof, b…
