We study the subgroup B_0(G) of H^2(G,Q/Z) consisting of all elements which have trivial restrictions to every Abelian subgroup of G. The group B_0(G) serves as the simplest nontrivial obstruction to stable rationality of algebraic varieties V/G where V is a faithful complex linear representation of the group G. We prove that B_0(G) is trivial for finite simple groups of Lie type A_{\ell}.
We develop different formulas of algebraic and/or arithmetic nature allowing an explicit calculation, both over a finite field and over a field of characteristic 0, of the algebraic part of the unramified Brauer group of a homogeneous space G\G' under a semisiple simply connected linear group G' with finite stabilizer G. We also give examples of the calculations that can be done with these formulas.
We give a new proof of the theorem stating that for any connected linear algebraic group G over an algebraically closed field k of characteristic 0 and for any closed connected subgroup H of G, the unramified Brauer group of G/H vanishes.
En utilisant un théorème de Gabber sur les altérations, on démontre un résultat décrivant la partie de torsion première à $p$ du groupe de Brauer non ramifié d'une variété $V$ lisse et géométriquement intègre sur un corps global de caractéristique $p$ au moyen de l'évaluation des éléments de $\Br V$ sur ses points locaux. Using a theorem of Gabber on alterations, we prove a result describing the prime-to-$p$ torsion part of the unramified Brauer group of a smooth and geometrically integral variety $V$ over a global field of characteristic $p$ by evaluating the elements of $\Br V$ at its local …
Let $X$ be an irreducible smooth complex projective curve of genus at least two. Let $N$ be a connected component of the moduli space of semistable principal ${\rm PGL}_r({\mathbb C})$- bundles over $X$; it is a normal unirational complex projective variety. We prove that the Brauer group of a desingularization of $N$ is trivial.
We establish a formula for computing the unramified Brauer group of tame conic bundle threefolds in characteristic 2. The formula depends on the arrangement and residue double covers of the discriminant components, the latter being governed by Artin-Schreier theory (instead of Kummer theory in characteristic not 2). We use this to give new examples of threefold conic bundles defined over the integers that are not stably rational over the complex numbers.
Let X --> P^2 be a p-cyclic cover branched over a smooth, connected curve C of degree divisible by p, defined over a separably closed field of prime-to-p characteristic. We show that all (unramified) p-torsion Brauer classes on X that are fixed by Aut(X/P^2) arise as pullbacks of certain Brauer classes on k(P^2) that are unramified away from C and a fixed line L. We completely characterize these Brauer classes on k(P^2) and relate the kernel of the pullback map to the Picard group of X. If p = 2, we give a second construction, which works over any base field of characteristic not 2, that uses …
We derive a formula for the unramified Brauer group of a general class of rationally connected fourfolds birational to conic bundles over smooth threefolds. We produce new examples of conic bundles over P^3 where this formula applies and which have nontrivial unramified Brauer group. The construction uses the theory of contact surfaces and, at least implicitly, matrix factorizations and symmetric arithmetic Cohen--Macaulay sheaves, as well as the geometry of special arrangements of rational curves in P^2. We also prove the existence of universally CH_0-trivial resolutions for the general class…
We produce a partial compactification of the variety given by P(t)=N_{K/k}(\mathbf z) whose Brauer group coincides with the unramified Brauer group, where K is an étale k-algebra and P(t)\in k[t] is a nonconstant polynomial. Then we obtain a systematic method to compute the unramified Brauer group for all such varieties.
We classify all groups of order $p^5$ with non-trivial unramified Brauer groups. We show that if $p>3$, then there are precisely $\gcd (p-1,4)+\gcd (p-1,3)+1$ such groups.
This is a textbook on arithmetic geometry with special regard to unramified Brauer groups of algebraic varieties. The topics include Galois cohomology, Brauer groups, obstructions to stable rationality, arithmetic and geometry of quadrics, Weil restriction of scalars, algebraic tori, an example of a stably rational non-rational variety, Brauer-Manin obstruction. All material is split into locally trivial problems with detailed hints.
In this paper we introduce a method to obtain algebraic information using arithmetic one in the study of tori and their principal homogeneous spaces. In particular, using some results of the authors with Tingyu Lee, we determine the unramified Brauer groups of some norm one tori, and their torsors.
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 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 $k$.
Let $k$ be any field, $G$ be a finite group acing on the rational function field $k(x_g:g\in G)$ by $h\cdot x_g=x_{hg}$ for any $h,g\in G$. Define $k(G)=k(x_g:g\in G)^G$. Noether's problem asks whether $k(G)$ is rational (= purely transcendental) over $k$. It is known that, if $\bm{C}(G)$ is rational over $\bm{C}$, then $B_0(G)=0$ where $B_0(G)$ is the unramified Brauer group of $\bm{C}(G)$ over $\bm{C}$. Bogomolov showed that, if $G$ is a $p$-group of order $p^5$, then $B_0(G)=0$. This result was disproved by Moravec for $p=3,5,7$ by computer calculations. We will prove the following theorem.…
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.
The Bogomolov multiplier is a group theoretical invariant isomorphic to the unramified Brauer group of a given quotient space. We derive a homological version of the Bogomolov multiplier, prove a Hopf-type formula, find a five term exact sequence corresponding to this invariant, and describe the role of the Bogomolov multiplier in the theory of central extensions. A new description of the Bogomolov multiplier of a nilpotent group of class two is obtained. We define the Bogomolov multiplier within K-theory and show that proving its triviality is equivalent to solving a long-standing problem pos…
We study Grothedieck groups of triangulated categories using weight structures, weight complexes, and the corresponding pure (co)homological functors. We prove some general statements on $K_0$ of weighted categories and apply it to Voevodsky motives endowed with so-called Chow weight structures. We obtain certain "motivic substitutes" for smooth compactifications of smooth varieties over arbitrary perfect fields; this enables us to make certain unramified cohomology and Euler characteristic calculations that are closely related to results of T. Ekedahl and B. Kahn.
Combining work of Peyre, Colliot-Thélène and Voisin, we give the first example of a finite group $G$ such that the motivic class of its classifying stack $BG$ in Ekedahl's Grothendieck ring of stacks over $\mathbb{C}$ is non-trivial and $BG$ has trivial unramified Brauer group.
Let k be a field, G a smooth connected linear algebraic group and X a homogeneous space of G over k, such that the geometric stabilizers are extensions of a smooth group of multiplicative type by a smooth connected characterfree group. If k has characteristic zero and if X^c is a smooth compactification of X over k, we obtain a formula for the algebraic Brauer group of X^c. Several variants are obtained in positive characteristic p, including the finite field case and the global field case, where the formulae describe the prime-to-p part of the algebraic unramified Brauer group of X, without a…
Auel-Bigazzi-Böhning-Graf von Bothmer proved that if a proper smooth variety $X$ over a field $k$ of characteristic $p>0$ has universally trivial Chow group of $0$-cycles, the cohomological Brauer group of $X$ is universally trivial as well. In this paper, we generalize their argument to arbitrary unramified mod $p$ étale motivic cohomology groups. We also see that the properness assumption on the variety $X$ can be dropped off by using the Suslin homology together with a certain tame subgroup of the unramified cohomology group.
Let $k$ be any field, $G$ be a finite group acting on the rational function field $k(x_g : g\in G)$ by $h\cdot x_g=x_{hg}$ for any $h,g\in G$. Define $k(G)=k(x_g : g\in G)^G$. Noether's problem asks whether $k(G)$ is rational (= purely transcendental) over $k$. It is known that, if $\bC(G)$ is rational over $\bC$, then $B_0(G)=0$ where $B_0(G)$ is the unramified Brauer group of $\bC(G)$ over $\bC$. Bogomolov showed that, if $G$ is a $p$-group of order $p^5$, then $B_0(G)=0$. This result was disproved by Moravec for $p=3,5,7$ by computer computing. We will give a theoretic proof of the followin…
For an affine double plane defined by an equation of the form z^2 = f, we study the divisor class group and the Brauer group. Two cases are considered. In the first case, f is a product of n linear forms in k[x,y] and X is birational to a ruled surface P^1 x C, where C is rational if n is odd and hyperelliptic if n is even. In the second case, f is the equation of an affine hyperelliptic curve. On the open set where the cover is unramified, we compute the groups of divisor classes, the Brauer groups, the relative Brauer group, as well as all of the terms in he exact sequence of Chase, Harrison…
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 …
This is a survey of recent examples of varieties that are not stably rational. We review the specialization method based on properties of the Chow group of zero-cycles used in these examples and explain the point of view of unramified cohomology for the construction of nontrivial stable invariants of the special fiber. In particular, we find an explicit formula for the Brauer group of fourfolds fibered in quadrics of dimension two over a rational surface.
This is a survey on the ancient question : Let G be a reductive group over an algebraically closed field k and let V be a vector space over k with an almost free linear action of G on V. Let k(V) denote the field of rational functions on V. Is the subfield of G-invariants of k(V) purely transcendental over k ? For G connected, this is still an open question. After a discussion of general matters (various notions of rationality, various notions of quotients, the no-name lemma), we consider several specific groups G. We then discuss the unramified Brauer group of a function field and describe th…
We give an algorithm to explicitly determine all elements of the $q$-torsion (for $q$ an odd prime) of the Brauer group of an elliptic curve over any base field of characteristic different from $q$, containing a primitive $q$-th root of unity. These elements of the Brauer group are given as tensor products of symbol algebras over the function field of the elliptic curve. We give sufficient conditions to determine if the Brauer classes that arise are trivial. Using our algorithm, we derive an upper bound on the symbol length of the prime torsion of $\mathrm{Br}(E)/\mathrm{Br}(k)$.
Let $G$ be a finite group and $W$ be a faithful representation of $G$ over {\bf C}. The group $G$ acts on the field of rational functions $\mathbf C(W)$. The aim of this paper is to give a description of the unramified cohomology group of degree 3 of the field of invariant functions $\mathbf C(W)^G$ in terms of the cohomology of $G$ when $G$ is a group of odd order. This enables us to give an example of a group for which this field is not rational, although its unramified Brauer group is trivial.
We construct unramified central simple algebras representing 2-torsion classes in the Brauer group of a hyperelliptic curve, and show that every 2-torsion class can be constructed this way when the curve has a rational Weierstrass point or when the base field is C_1. In general, we show that a large (but in general proper) subgroup of the 2-torsion classes are given by the construction. Examples demonstrating applications to the arithmetic of hyperelliptic curves defined over number fields are given.
The purpose of this paper is to show that the third unramified cohomology with divisible coefficients of a smooth projective geometrically rational threefold over a finite field must vanish under $\Z_{\ell}$-exactness Hard Lefschetz condition.
We relate the Brauer group of a Kummer surface to the Brauer group of the corresponding abelian surface. For many pairs of elliptic curves over the rational numbers we prove that the Kummer surface attached to their product has trivial Brauer group.
Let $A$ be an abelian variety over a field finitely generated over $\mathbb{Q}$. We show that the finiteness of the $\ell$-primary torsion subgroup of the higher Brauer group is a sufficient criterion for the Tate conjecture to hold. Furthermore, we extend methods for computations of transcendental Brauer groups to higher Brauer groups.
We discuss the geometry of the genus one fibrations associated to an elliptic fibration on a K3 surface. We show that the two-torsion subgroup of the Brauer group of a general elliptic fibration is naturally isomorphic to the two-torsion of the Jacobian of a curve associated to the fibration. We remark that this is related to Recillas' trigonal construction. Finally we discuss the two-torsion in the Brauer group of a general K3 surface with a polarisation of degree two.
In this paper we consider the Brauer groups of algebraic stacks and GIT quotients: the only algebraic stacks we consider in this paper are quotient stacks [X/G], where X is a smooth scheme of finite type over a field k, and G is a linear algebraic group over k and acting on X, as well as various moduli stacks of principal G-bundles on a smooth projective curve X, associated to a reductive group G. We also consider the Brauer groups of the corresponding coarse moduli spaces, which most often identify with the corresponding GIT-quotients. One conclusion that we seem to draw then is that the Brau…
Let $X$ be a smooth projective surface over an algebraically closed field $k$ such that $char(k) \neq 2$. Let $X^{[d]}$ denote the punctual Hilbert scheme of zero dimensional quotients of degree $d$ and $X^{(d)}$ denote the symmetric product of $X$. For $\ell \neq 2$, we give a formula for the $\ell$-primary part of the Brauer group of $X^{[2]}$. We show that the Hilbert to Chow morphism induces an isomorphism of cohomological Brauer groups for $d=2$ and a similar result for $d \geq 3$. Let $Q(r,d)$ denote the punctual Quot-scheme parametrising zero dimensional quotients of $\mathcal{O}_X^{ \o…
A theorem of Serre states that almost all plane conics over $\mathbb{Q}$ have no rational point. We prove an analogue of this for families of conics parametrised by elliptic curves using elliptic divisibility sequences and a version of the Selberg sieve for elliptic curves. We also give more general results for specialisations of Brauer groups, which yields applications to norm form equations.
We prove that the Brauer group of the moduli stack of elliptic curves $\mathscr{M}_{1,1,k}$ over an algebraically closed field $k$ of characteristic $2$ is isomorphic to $\mathbb{Z}/(2)$. We also compute the Brauer group of $\mathscr{M}_{1,1,k}$ where $k$ is a finite field of characteristic $2$.
This note gives an explicit example of transcendental Brauer-Manin obstruction to weak approximation. It has two features which the only previously known example of such obstruction did not have: the class in the Brauer group which is responsible for the obstruction is divisible, and the underlying algebraic variety is an elliptic surface (a K3 surface).
We show that transcendental elements of the Brauer group of an algebraic surface can obstruct the Hasse principle. We construct a general K3 surface X of degree 2 over Q, together with a two-torsion Brauer class A that is unramified at every finite prime, but ramifies at real points of X. Motivated by Hodge theory, the pair (X,A) is constructed from a double cover of P^2 x P^2 ramified over a hypersurface of bi-degree (2,2).
Transcendental Brauer elements are notoriously difficult to compute. Work of Wittenberg, and later, Ieronymou, gives a method for computing 2-torsion transcendental classes on surfaces that have a genus 1 fibration with rational 2-torsion in the Jacobian fibration. We use ideas from a descent paper of Poonen and Schaefer to remove this assumption on the rational 2-torsion.
A method of Gabber (2002) produces unramified cohomology classes in the products of certain varieties with an elliptic curve. The connection between third unramified cohomology and integral Hodge conjecture for codimension 2 cycles (2012, which builds upon results from algebraic K-Theory, then gives many examples of such a product for which this conjecture fails. The special case of the product with an Enriques surface was established by Benoist and Ottem (2018).
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…
We prove that the Brauer group of TMF is isomorphic to the Brauer group of the derived moduli stack of elliptic curves. Then, we compute the local Brauer group, i.e., the subgroup of the Brauer group of elements trivialized by some étale cover of the moduli stack, up to a finite 2-torsion group.
Let $Y$ be a principal homogeneous space of an abelian surface, or a K3 surface, over a finitely generated extension of $\mathbb{Q}$. In 2008, Skorobogatov and Zarhin showed that the Brauer group modulo algebraic classes $\text{Br}\, Y/ \text{Br}_1\, Y$ is finite. We study this quotient for the family of surfaces that are geometrically isomorphic to a product of isogenous non-CM elliptic curves, as well as the related family of geometrically Kummer surfaces; both families can be characterized by their geometric Néron-Severi lattices. Over a field of characteristic $0$, we prove that the existe…
