In \cite{MP} we have shown that if a compact Riemann surface admits a Strebel differential with rational periods, then the Riemann surface is the complex model of an algebraic curve defined over the field of algebraic numbers. We will show in this article that even if all geometric data are defined over $\overline{\mathbb{Q}}$, the Strebel differential can still have a transcendental period. We construct a Strebel differential $q$ on an arbitrary complete nonsingular algebraic curve $C$ defined over $\overline{\mathbb{Q}}$ such that (i) all poles of $q$ are $\overline{\mathbb{Q}}$-rational points of $C$; (ii) the residue of $\sqrt{q}$ at each pole is a positive integer; and (iii) $q$ has a transcendental period.
It is well known that there is a bijective correspondence between metric ribbon graphs and compact Riemann surfaces with meromorphic Strebel differentials. In this article, it is proved that Grothendieck's correspondence between dessins d'enfants and Belyi morphisms is a special case of this correspondence. For a metric ribbon graph with edge length 1, an algebraic curve over $\bar Q$ and a Strebel differential on it is constructed. It is also shown that the critical trajectories of the measured foliation that is determined by the Strebel differential recover the original metric ribbon graph. …
We study special circle bundles over two elementary moduli spaces of meromorphic quadratic differentials with real periods denoted by $\mathcal Q_0^{\mathbb R}(-7)$ and $\mathcal Q^{\mathbb R}_0([-3]^2)$. The space $\mathcal Q_0^{\mathbb R}(-7)$ is the moduli space of meromorphic quadratic differentials on the Riemann sphere with one pole of order 7 with real periods; it appears naturally in the study of a neighbourhood of the Witten's cycle $W_1$ in the combinatorial model based on Jenkins-Strebel quadratic differentials of $\mathcal M_{g,n}$. The space $\mathcal Q^{\mathbb R}_0([-3]^2)$ is t…
We suggest a general method of computation of the homology of certain smooth covers $\hat{\mathcal{M}}_{g,1}(\mathbb{C})$ of moduli spaces $\mathcal{M}_{g,1}\br{\mathbb{C}}$ of pointed curves of genus $g$. Namely, we consider moduli spaces of algebraic curves with level $m$ structures. The method is based on the lifting of the Strebel-Penner stratification $\mathcal{M}_{g,1}\br{\mathbb{C}}$. We apply this method for $g\leq 2$ and obtain Betti numbers; these results are consistent with Penner and Harer-Zagier results on Euler characteristics.
For any rank 2 Drinfeld module rho defined over an algebraic function field, we consider its period matrix P, which is analogous to the period matrix of an elliptic curve defined over a number field. Suppose that the characteristic of F_q is odd and rho is without complex multiplication. We show that the transcendence degree of the field generated by the entries of P over F_q(theta) is 4. As a consequence, we show also the algebraic independence of Drinfeld logarithms of algebraic functions which are linearly independent over F_q(theta).
We prove that if f is a self-map of an algebraic variety over a field K, then under certain conditions on X, f and K the set of possible periods of K-valued periodic points of f is finite.
We show that for a variety which admits a quasi-finite period map, finiteness (resp.~non-Zariski-density) of $S$-integral points implies finiteness (resp.~non-Zariski-density) of points over all $\mathbb{Z}$-finitely generated integral domains of characteristic zero. Our proofs rely on foundational results in Hodge theory due to Deligne, Griffiths, and Schmid, and Bakker-Brunebarbe-Tsimerman. We give straightforward applications to Shimura varieties, locally symmetric varieties, the moduli space of smooth hypersurfaces in projective space, and the moduli of smooth divisors in an abelian variet…
Let $f : X \to S$ be a family of smooth projective algebraic varieties over a smooth connected base $S$, with everything defined over $\overline{\mathbb{Q}}$. Denote by $\mathbb{V} = R^{2i} f_{*} \mathbb{Z}(i)$ the associated integral variation of Hodge structure on the degree $2i$ cohomology. We consider the following question: when can a fibre $\mathbb{V}_{s}$ above an algebraic point $s \in S(\overline{\mathbb{Q}})$ be isomorphic to a transcendental fibre $\mathbb{V}_{s'}$ with $s' \in S(\mathbb{C}) \setminus S(\overline{\mathbb{Q}})$? When $\mathbb{V}$ induces a quasi-finite period map $φ:…
We study the transcendence of periods of abelian differentials, both at the arithmetic and functional level, from the point of view of the natural bi-algebraic structure on strata of abelian differentials. We characterise geometrically the arithmetic points, study their distribution, and prove that in many cases the bi-algebraic curves are the linear ones.
We establish an Eichler-Shimura isomorphism for weakly modular forms of level one. We do this by relating weakly modular forms with rational Fourier coefficients to the algebraic de Rham cohomology of the modular curve with twisted coefficients. This leads to formulae for the periods and quasi-periods of modular forms.
This survey article is the outgrowth of two talks given at the Journées X-UPS "Périodes et transcendance" at École polytechnique. Periods are complex numbers whose real and imaginary parts can be written as integrals of rational functions over domains defined by polynomial inequalities, everything with rational coefficients. According to a conjecture by Kontsevich-Zagier, every algebraic relation among these numbers should follow from the obvious rules of calculus: additivity, change of variables, Stokes's formula. I first explain the definition of periods and some ensuing elementary propertie…
We give a new practical method for computing subvarieties of projective hypersurfaces. By computing the periods of a given hypersurface X, we find algebraic cohomology cycles on X. On well picked algebraic cycles, we can then recover the equations of subvarieties of X that realize these cycles. In practice, a bulk of the computations involve transcendental numbers and have to be carried out with floating point numbers. However, if X is defined over algebraic numbers then the coefficients of the equations of subvarieties can be reconstructed as algebraic numbers. A symbolic computation then ver…
In this article, we construct algebraic equations for a curve C and a map f to an elliptic curve E, with pre-specified branching data. We do this by determining certain relations that the periods of C and E must satisfy and use these relations to approximate the coefficients to high precision. We then conjecture which algebraic numbers the coefficients are, and then we prove this conjecture to be correct.
We review Hodge structures, relating filtrations, Galois Theory and Jordan-Holder structures. The prototypical case of periods of Riemann surfaces is compared with the Galois-Artin framework of algebraic numbers.
For a linear algebraic group $G$ over $\mathbf Q$, we consider the period domains $D$ classifying $G$-mixed Hodge structures, and construct the extended period domains $D_Σ$. In particular, we give toroidal partial compactifications of mixed Mumford--Tate domains, mixed Shimura varieties over $\mathbf C$, and higher Albanese manifolds.
For a linear algebraic group $G$ over $\bf Q$, we consider the period domains $D$ classifying $G$-mixed Hodge structures, and construct the extended period domains $D_{\mathrm{BS}}$, $D_{\mathrm{SL}(2)}$, and $Γ\backslash D_Σ$. In particular, we give toroidal partial compactifications of mixed Mumford--Tate domains.
For a linear algebraic group G over the field of rational numbers, we consider the period domains D classifying G-mixed Hodge structures, and construct the extended period domains as toroidal partial compactifications. We give an interpretation of higher Albanese manifolds by Hain and Zucker by using the above D for some G, and extend them via the toroidal partial compactifications.
In previous work, we established a duality between the algebraic de Rham cohomology of a flat algebraic connection on a smooth quasi-projective surface over the complex numbers and the rapid decay homology of the dual connection relying on a conjecture by C. Sabbah, which has been proved recently by T. Mochizuki for algebraic connections in any dimension. In the present article, we verify that Mochizuki's results allow to generalize these duality results to arbitrary dimensions also.
For every even number $n$, and every $n$-dimensional smooth hypersurface of $\mathbb{P}^{n+1}$ of degree $d$, we compute the periods of all its $\frac{n}{2}$-dimensional complete intersection algebraic cycles. Furthermore, we determine the image of the given algebraic cycle under the cycle class map inside the De Rham cohomology group of the corresponding hypersurface in terms of its Griffiths basis and the polarization. As an application, we use this information to address variational Hodge conjecture for a non complete intersection algebraic cycle. We prove that the locus of general hypersur…
We construct a period regulator for motivic cohomology of an algebraic scheme over a subfield of the complex numbers. For the field of algebraic numbers we formulate a period conjecture for motivic cohomology by saying that this period regulator is surjective. Showing that a suitable Betti--de Rham realization of 1-motives is fully faithful we can verify this period conjecture in several cases. The divisibility properties of motivic cohomology imply that our conjecture is a neat generalization of the classical Grothendieck period conjecture for algebraic cycles on smooth and proper schemes. Th…
We show that infinitesimal Torelli for $n$-forms holds for abelian covers of algebraic varieties of dimension $n\ge 2$, under some explicit ampleness assumptions on the building data of the cover. Moreover, we prove a variational Torelli result for some families of abelian covers.
It is known that the algebraic \deRham cohomology group $\hDR{i}(X_0/\Q)$ of a nonsingular variety $X_0/\Q$ has the same rank as the rational singular cohomology group $\h^i\sing(\Xh;\Q)$ of the complex manifold $\Xh$ associated to the base change $X_0\times_{\Q}\C$. However, we do not have a natural isomorphism $\hDR{i}(X_0/\Q)\iso\h^i\sing(\Xh;\Q)$. Any choice of such an isomorphism produces certain integrals, so called periods, which reveal valuable information about $X_0$. The aim of this thesis is to explain these classical facts in detail. Based on an approach of Kontsevich, different de…
The Ehrhart quasi-polynomial of a rational polytope $P$ is a fundamental invariant counting lattice points in integer dilates of $P$. The quasi-period of this quasi-polynomial divides the denominator of $P$ but is not always equal to it: this situation is called quasi-period collapse. Polytopes experiencing quasi-period collapse appear widely across algebra and geometry, and yet the phenomenon remains largely mysterious. Using techniques from algebraic geometry - specifically the $\mathbb{Q}$-Gorenstein deformation theory of orbifold del Pezzo surfaces - we explain quasi-period collapse for ra…
We describe some L-infinity model for the local period map of a compact Kaehler manifold. Applications include the study of deformations with associated variation of Hodge structure constrained by certain closed strata of the Grassmannian of the de Rham cohomology. As a byproduct we obtain an interpretation in the framework of deformation theory of the Yukawa coupling.
Period mappings were introduced in the sixties [G] to study variation of complex structures of families of algebraic varieties. The theory of tautological systems was introduced recently [LSY,LY] to understand period integrals of algebraic manifolds. In this paper, we give an explicit construction of a tautological system for each component of a period mapping.
We introduce an algebraicity criteria. It has the following form: under certain conditions, an analytic subvariety of some algebriac variety over a global field $K$, if it contains many $K$-points, then it is algebraic over $K.$ This gives a way to show the transcendence of points via the transcendence of analytic subvarieties. Such a situation often appears when we have a dynamical system, because we can often produce infinitely many points from one point via iterates. Combing this criteria and the study of invariant subvarieties, we get some results on the transcendence in arithmetic dynamic…
In this article we use a theorem of Carlson and Griffiths and compute periods of linear algebraic cycles inside the Fermat variety of even dimension $n$ and degree $d$. As an application, for examples of $n$ and $d$ we prove that the locus of hypersurfaces containing two linear cycles whose intersection is of low dimension, is a reduced component of the Hodge locus in the underlying parameter space. We also check the same statement for hypersurfaces containing a complete intersection algebraic cycle. Our result confirms the Hodge conjecture for Hodge cycles obtained by the monodromy of the hom…
Using abelian differentials and periods of the universal Mumford curve, we study the universal expression and asymptotic behavior of tau functions defined for stably degenerating families of algebraic curves with additional data. Furthermore, we apply this study to constructing solutions to the KP hierarchy which are expressed by nonarchimedean theta functions and by mixtures of quasi-periodic solutions with solitons containing real solutions defined on families of M-curves.
We complete the study of some periods of polynomials in (n+1) variables with (n+2) monomials in computing the behavior of these periods in the natural parameter for such a polynomial.
In this article we show how the data of integrals of algebraic differential forms over algebraic cycles can be used in order to prove that algebraic and Hodge cycle deformations of a given algebraic cycle are equivalent. As an example, we prove that most of the Hodge and algebraic cycles of the Fermat sextic fourfold cannot be deformed in the underlying parameter space. We then take a difference of two linear cycles inside the Fermat variety, and gather evidences that the Hodge locus corresponding to this is smooth and reduced. This implies the existence of new algebraic cycles in the Fermat v…
In the mid sixties, A. Grothendieck envisioned a vast generalization of Galois theory to systems of polynomials in several variables, motivic Galois theory, and introduced tannakian categories on this occasion. In characteristic zero, various unconditional approaches were later proposed. The most precise one, due to J. Ayoub, relies on Voevodsky theory of mixed motives and on a new tannakian theory. It sheds new light on periods of algebraic varieties, and shows in particular that polynomial relations between periods of a pencil of algebraic varieties always arise from Stokes formula.
We study a problem related to Kontsevich's homological mirror symmetry conjecture for the case of a generic curve $\cal Y$ with bi-degree (2,2) in a product of projective lines ${\Bbb P}^{1} \times {\Bbb P}^{1}$. We calculate two differenent monodromy representations of period integrals for the affine variety ${\cal X}^{(2,2)}$ obtained by the dual polyhedron mirror variety construction from $\cal Y$. The first method that gives a full representation of the fundamental group of the complement to singular loci relies on the generalised Picard-Lefschetz theorem. The second method uses the analyt…
We show that the motivic spectrum representing algebraic $K$-theory is a localization of the suspension spectrum of $\mathbb{P}^\infty$, and similarly that the motivic spectrum representing periodic algebraic cobordism is a localization of the suspension spectrum of $BGL$. In particular, working over $\mathbb{C}$ and passing to spaces of $\mathbb{C}$-valued points, we obtain new proofs of the topological versions of these theorems, originally due to the second author. We conclude with a couple of applications: first, we give a short proof of the motivic Conner-Floyd theorem, and second, we sho…
Let $k $ be the algebraic closure of a finite field of odd characteristic $p$ and $X$ a smooth projective scheme over the Witt ring $W(k)$ which is geometrically connected in characteristic zero. We introduce the notion of Higgs-de Rham flow and prove that the category of periodic Higgs-de Rham flows over $X/W(k)$ is equivalent to the category of Fontaine modules, hence further equivalent to the category of crystalline representations of the étale fundamental group $π_1(X_K)$ of the generic fiber of $X$, after Fontaine-Laffaille and Faltings. Moreover, we prove that every semistable Higgs bund…
We explain that in the study of the asymptotic expansion at the origin of a period integral like $γ$z $ω$/df or of a hermitian period like f =s $ρ$.$ω$/df $\land$ $ω$ /df the computation of the Bernstein polynomial of the "fresco" (filtered differential equation) associated to the pair of germs (f, $ω$) gives a better control than the computation of the Bernstein polynomial of the full Brieskorn module of the germ of f at the origin. Moreover, it is easier to compute as it has a better functoriality and smaller degree. We illustrate this in the case where f $\in$ C[x 0 ,. .. , x n ] has n + 2 …
Work of Laurent and Sarnak, following a conjecture of Lang, shows that the number of torsion points of order n on an algebraic subset of an affine complex torus is polynomial periodic. In this paper, we find bounds on the degree and period of this number as a function of n. Some examples, including the number of n torsion points on Fermat curves, are computed to illustrate the methods.
In the previous paper by Asakura-Otsubo-Terasoma, we prove that the special values of the hypergeometric function 3F2 at 1 are linear combinations of logarithms of algebraic numbers and 1 over algebraic numbers, if exponents are rational numbers satisfying a certain arithmetic condition. Aoki and Shioda completely classified these sets of rational numbers satisfying this condition in connection with Hodge cycles on Fermat surfaces. In this paper, we give an explicit expression of special values of hypergoemetricy 3F2 which does not belong to exceptional characters.
We study the flow (G(Qp); SG(Qp)) of trigonalizable algebraic group acting on its type space, focusing on the problem raised in [17] of whether weakly generic types coincide with almost periodic types if the group has global definable f-generic types, equivalently whether the union of minimal subflows of a suitable type space is closed. We will give a description of of f-generic types of trigonalizable algebraic groups, and prove that every f-generic type is almost periodic.
In this paper, we calculate period matrices of algebraic curves defined by $$w^2=z(z^2-1)(z^2-a_1^2)(z^2-a_2^2)\cdots (z^2-a_{g-1}^2)$$ for any $g\geq 2$ and $a_1, a_2, \dots, a_{g-1}\in \mathbb{R}$ with $1<a_1<a_2<\cdots <a_{g-1}$. We construct these algebraic curves from Euclidean polygons. A symplectic basis of these curves are given from the polygons.
We generalize the known constructions of A-hypergeometric functions. In particular, we show that periods of middle dimension on affine or projective complex algebraic varieties are A-hypergeometric functions of coefficients of polynomial equations of these varieties.
We prove a conjecture of Griffiths on the quasi-projectivity of images of period maps using algebraization results arising from o-minimal geometry. Specifically, we first develop a theory of analytic spaces and coherent sheaves that are definable with respect to a given o-minimal structure, and prove a GAGA-type theorem algebraizing definable coherent sheaves on complex algebraic spaces. We then combine this with algebraization theorems of Artin to show that proper definable images of complex algebraic spaces are algebraic. Applying this to period maps, we conclude that the images of period ma…
