All Questions
393 questions
15
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Frobenius Descent
Let $S$ be a scheme of positive characteristic $p$ and $X$ a smooth $S$-scheme. Let $F:X\rightarrow X^{(p)}$ denote the relative Frobenius. A result by Cartier (often called Cartier descent or ...
- 4,450
15
votes
2
answers
814
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Can the failure of the multiplicativity of Euler factors at bad primes be corrected?
Warning: This one of those does-anyone-know-how-to-fix-this-vague-problem questions, and not an actual mathematics question at all.
If $X$ is a scheme of finite type over a finite field, then the ...
- 9,418
15
votes
2
answers
596
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When is the etale cohomology of $\mathrm{Sym}^n(X)$ isomorphic to the $\Sigma_n$-invariants in the étale cohomology of $X^n$?
Suppose $X$ is a smooth projective variety defined over an arbitrary algebraically closed field $k$, and consider the action of $\Sigma_n$ on the $n$-fold product $X^n$. Is it true that $H_{\acute{e}t}...
- 233
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0
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2k
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Why was it so difficult to define the relative de Rham-Witt complex?
In Illusie's original article, the de Rham-Witt complex is defined for a smooth scheme over a perfect characteristic $p$ base $S$, without reference to $S$. Some 25 years later, Langer and Zink ...
- 16.2k
15
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0
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779
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Lifting varieties from char. $p$ to char. 0 after alterations
The question is related to this MO question:
Lifting varieties to characteristic zero.
Let $X$ be a projective smooth variety over $k$ alg. closed field of char. $p.$ Does there always exist an ...
- 4,265
14
votes
3
answers
2k
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Representations in characteristic p
Let G be a finite group and let F be an algebraically closed field. If the characteristic of F is 0, then the number of irreducible F-representations of G is given by the number of conjugacy classes ...
- 2,799
14
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1
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Frobenius splitting of Fano varieties
Dear MO,
Question 1. Do you know of an example of a Fano variety which is not Frobenius split?
Background
(1) A variety $X$ in characteristic $p$ is called Frobenius split if there is a "$p$-th ...
- 16.2k
14
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1
answer
1k
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Do varieties with ample canonical bundle have finite automorphism group in small characteristic?
Suppose $X$ is a smooth projective variety over a field $k$, with ample canonical bundle. If $\operatorname{char}(k)=0$ or $\operatorname{char}(k)>\dim(X)$ and $X$ lifts to $W_2(k)$ (thanks ...
- 23k
14
votes
2
answers
1k
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Can a reductive group act non-linearly on a vector group?
Let $k$ be a field; I'm going to discuss linear algebraic groups over $k$. The question I'll pose is only interesting when the characteristic is $p>0$.
1. Some motivation
A vector group is an ...
- 3,246
14
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1
answer
1k
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The "Level N modular equation for delta" in characteristics 3, 5, 7 and 13
When $N > 1$, the modular forms $\Delta(z)$ and $\Delta(Nz)$ are algebraically independent over the complexes, and the same then is true of their expansions at infinity. But using the fact that
the ...
- 5,422
14
votes
0
answers
1k
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A slick proof (?) of Zariski-Nagata purity in characteristic $p$
I am trying to understand the MathSciNet review written by Mark Kisin of the paper "Almost etale extensions" of Faltings. There Kisin illustrates Faltings' approach to the almost purity theorem with ...
- 2,663
13
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Is the Characteristic of a Field Detectable from the Topology of a Topological Vector Space?
Motivation
A topological vector space is a vector space over a (topological) field, K, that carries a topology such that addition and scalar multiplication are continuous maps, e.g., all normed vector ...
13
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1
answer
651
views
Help wanted with Chebotarev condition in characteristic 2
Having promised a longtime collaborator that I would clear my plate to finish up some joint work of ours, I am swallowing my pride and tossing up the following technical point of function field ...
- 65.4k
13
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1
answer
690
views
Obstructions to formally integrating vector fields in characteristic p?
Let $M$ be a smooth scheme over some field $k$ of characteristic $p$, and $\vec X$ a vector field on it. Equivalently, $\vec X$ gives a map $Spec\ k[\epsilon]/\langle \epsilon^2 \rangle \times M \to M$...
- 27.9k
13
votes
2
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768
views
Is there a proof of Warning's Second Theorem using p-adic cohomology?
Let $\mathbb{F}_q$ be a finite field, $n \in \mathbb{Z}^+$, and $f_1,\ldots,f_r \in \mathbb{F}_q[t_1,\ldots,t_n]$ with $\operatorname{deg}(f_i) = d_i$. Put $d = \sum_{i=1}^n d_i$ and suppose $d< n$...
- 65.4k
13
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0
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749
views
Rings whose Frobenius is flat
Let $R$ be a ring of characteristic $p>0$. The (absolute) Frobenius is the map of rings $F_R:R\rightarrow R$ defined by $x\mapsto x^p$.
I am interested in rings for which $F_R$ is flat (hence ...
anon1432
13
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0
answers
943
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Beilinson-Bernstein localization in positive characteristic
This is a follow-up to this question; in particular, I'm wondering if anyone can expand upon the interesting answers given by Kevin McGerty and David Ben-Zvi there. (In particular, in this question I'...
- 3,637
12
votes
2
answers
1k
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Weil Conjectures for nonprojective algebraic varieties
If we replace projective variety with algebraic variety in the statement of the Weil conjectures what happens? To me it seems the statement still makes sense. But is it still true?
- 1,462
12
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4
answers
2k
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Finite subgroups of $PGL_2(K)$ in characteristic $p$
Let $K$ be a field of characteristic $p$. What are the finite subgroups of $PGL_2(K)$ whose orders are divisible by $p$? And if $G$ and $H$ are two such subgroups that are isomorphic, can one say when ...
- 1,199
12
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2
answers
883
views
Residues of $\frac{1}{\prod_{i=1}^n (x-P_i)^{e_i}}$
This is a problem occurring in my research about deformations of $\mathbb{Z}/p^n$-covers over a ring of power series. Given an algebraically closed field $k$ of characteristic $p>0$, suppose $1< ...
- 245
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1
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750
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Vanishing theorems in positive characteristic
In the paper
Deligne, Pierre; Illusie, Luc (1987), "Relèvements modulo $p^{2}$ et décomposition du complexe de De Rham", Inventiones Mathematicae 89 (2): 247–270, doi:10.1007/BF01389078
I found the ...
- 8,998
12
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1
answer
2k
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Replacement for derivations in characteristic p?
Let $k$ be a field.
If $f \in k[x]$ is a polynomial, and $d/dx\ f = 0$, then either
$f$ is constant, or
$char\ k = p$ and $f \in k[x^p]$.
So "annihilated by all derivations" is perhaps not the right ...
- 27.9k
12
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0
answers
729
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Elkies' supersingularity theorem in higher dimension (in terms of the associated Newton polygon)
Elkies' supersingularity theorem: Given an elliptic curve $E$ over $\mathbb{Q}$, there are infinitely many primes $p$ such that $E$ is supersingular over $\mathbb{F}_p$.
I have seen another post on ...
- 3,539
12
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0
answers
716
views
Lifting abelian varieties in (the closed fiber of) a fixed Neron model
Suppose that $R$ is a dvr with field of fractions $K$ and residue field $k$ and that $A_K$ is an abelian variety over $K$ with Neron model $A$ over $R$. Then the closed fiber $A_k$ is a smooth ...
- 1,609
11
votes
2
answers
1k
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Class groups of normal domains over finite fields
Let R be a local, normal domain of dimension 2. Suppose that R contains a finite field. I am interested in knowing when the class group of R is torsion. In characteristic 0, this is known to be ...
- 30.6k
11
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4
answers
3k
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What does ramification have to do with separability?
Does ramification have anything to do with inseparability? It feels like an extension of Q in which p ramifies should somehow correspond to an extension of F_p(t). Does totally ramified <--> purely ...
- 15.4k
11
votes
4
answers
1k
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Explicit large finite fields in characteristic $2$
Every finite field of characteristic $2$ ist given by $\mathbb{F}_2[x]/P(x)$ for some irreducible polynomial $P\in \mathbb{F}_2[x]$.
For small degree, a simple algorithm gives a way to find $P$. Is ...
- 7,722
11
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1
answer
2k
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Are automorphism groups of hypersurfaces reduced ?
In the following article : "H. Matsumura, P. Monsky, On the automorphisms of hypersurfaces, J. Math. Kyoto Univ. 3 (1964) 347-361", it is shown that in finite characteristic, automorphism groups of ...
- 6,543
11
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1
answer
928
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Non-algebraic K3 surfaces in characteristic $p$
I have a very naive question.
Recall that over the field of complex numbers, there exist non-algebraic K3 surfaces. Namely, smooth non-projective simply connected compact complex surfaces with ...
- 21.4k
11
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2
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1k
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Cotangent complex of perfect algebra over a perfect field
Let $A$ be a perfect $\kappa$-algebra over a perfect field $\kappa$ of positive characteristic $p$. Then the algebraic (= classical) cotangent complex $L_{A/\kappa}^{\operatorname{alg}}$ is known to ...
- 2,011
11
votes
2
answers
918
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On a proposition in Hartshorne's paper "Ample vector bundles on curves"
In Prop. 4.1, p. 87 of the article "Ample vector bundles on curves" (Nagoya Math. J. 43 [1971], 73--89), R. Hartshorne states the following:
Let $A$ be an abelian variety [over an alg. closed field $...
- 3,076
11
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2
answers
1k
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Representations of $\mathrm{SL}(2)$ in characteristic 2
$\DeclareMathOperator\SL{SL}$In characteristic zero one can use the Clebsch-Gordan rule to decompose tensor products of $\SL(2)$-modules. In characteristic $p$, things are more complicated.
I am ...
- 605
11
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1
answer
381
views
Chromatic representation theory of the symmetric groups?
We know that in characteristic 0, the group ring of the symmetric group $\Sigma_n$ splits via one idempotent for each partition of $n$.
In characteristic $p$, I believe the analogous statement is that ...
- 64k
11
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1
answer
675
views
Extended Deformation Theory (dg-Lie algebra principle in positive characteristic?)
Recently, I looked at articles that make use of Deligne's idea that "in characteristic 0 every deformation problem is governed by a differential graded
Lie algebra" as explained first in Goldman-...
- 113
11
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1
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334
views
An identity in Lie algebras over fields of positive characteristic
Let $L$ be a Lie algebra over a field of characteristic $p>0$ and $D$ a derivation of $L$. For every $x\in L$ denote by $\mathrm{ad} x$ the adjoint map $\mathrm{ad}x: L \rightarrow L, a\mapsto [x,...
- 630
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2
answers
863
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Valuations and separable extensions
Let $R$ be a valuation ring containing a field $k$, with residue field $F$ and quotient field $K$. Assume $F/k$ is separable. Is $K/k$ separable?
I have convinced myself that (for a positive answer) ...
- 19.6k
11
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1
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615
views
Do Richardson varieties have rational singularities in arbitrary characteristic?
The title basically asks the question. I'll review the relevant terminology and explain what I have and haven't found in the literature.
Let $G$ be a reductive group. Let $v \leq w$ be elements of ...
- 156k
11
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0
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576
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What's known about the mod 2 reduction of the level l Jacobi modular equation?
Motivation:
Let $\ell$ be an odd prime. Let $A$ in ${\mathbb Z}/2[[x]]$ be $x+x^9+x^{25}+x^{49}+...$, and $B=A(x^\ell)$. One can use the level $\ell$ Jacobi modular equation to get a polynomial ...
- 5,422
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0
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1k
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Do the Standard Conjectures imply parts of the "Weil II" Riemann Hypothesis?
It is known that Grothendieck's Standard Conjectures on algebraic cycles imply the Riemann Hypothesis of the original Weil Conjectures. However, do they also say something about the version of the ...
- 1,764
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6
answers
2k
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Proofs in the same vein as Ax-Grothendieck
I would like to see other examples of (ideas of) proofs and results in the same vein as the proof of the Ax-Grothendieck theorem. To explain what I mean by "in the same vein", I will quote from the ...
- 23.4k
10
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3
answers
2k
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Is $Sym^n (V^*) \cong Sym^n (V)^\ast$ naturally in positive characteristic?
Background/motivation
It is a classical fact that we have a natural isomorphism $Sym^n (V^*) \cong Sym^n (V) ^\ast$ for vector spaces $V$ over a field $k$ of characteristic 0. One way to see this is ...
- 14.8k
10
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1
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625
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Can a division algebra have degree divisible by its characteristic?
I apologize in advance if this is easy, but I've tried Googling, and had no luck.
I'm currently working on a proof, and I realized in the course of writing that this proof will break if out there ...
- 44.7k
10
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3
answers
2k
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Pullback along Frobenius morphism
Let $X$ be a scheme over a finite field $\mathbb{F}_q$ and let $F : X \to X$ be the absolute Frobenius morphism. If $\mathcal{L}$ is an invertible $\mathcal{O}_X$-module, then there is a natural ...
- 63.1k
10
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2
answers
761
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Applications of alterations
In 1995, de Jong proved the existence of regular alterations in arbitrary characteristic. I would like to have a little survey of important applications of this theorem, e.g. things you could do if ...
- 1,072
10
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2
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393
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Counting points on varieties of low codimension
The graduate students here at MIT have been thinking about questions like the following: Over $\mathbb{F}\_q$, how many symmetric matrices are there with nonzero determinant and $0$'s on the diagonal? ...
- 156k
10
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1
answer
570
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Commutativity of the Chow ring in positive characteristic
I was looking in Ravi Vakil's notes on Intersection Theory, Class 20, where he introduces the bivariant intersection theory, in particular the Chow ring $A^\ast (X)$.
On p. 2, he writes the following ...
- 40.3k
10
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1
answer
1k
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Gelfand's trick (Gelfand's lemma) in positive characteristic?
I came across this preprint that claims in Lemma 1.1 that Gelfand's trick (also known as Gelfand's lemma) only works in characteristic zero:
Let $H < G$ be finite groups. Suppose we have an anti-...
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2
answers
1k
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Does a universal Frobenius map exist?
For any prime p, one has the Frobenius homomorphism Fp defined on rings of characteristic p.
Is there any kind of object, say U, with a "universal Frobenius map" F such that for any prime p and any ...
- 2,399
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1
answer
1k
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Are there "reasonable" criteria for existence/non-existence of Levi factors or their conjugacy in prime characteristic?
Classical theorems attributed to Levi, Mal'cev, Harish-Chandra for a finite
dimensional Lie algebra over a field of characteristic 0 state that it has a Levi decomposition (semisimple subalgebra plus ...
- 52.9k
10
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0
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371
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How large must the characteristic of $k$ be, for the cohomology of the Lie algebra $\mathfrak{sl}_n(k)$ to be exterior as in characteristic zero?
$\DeclareMathOperator\SU{SU}$In this question, all Lie algebra cohomology is of the form $H^*(\mathfrak{g}; k)$, with $k$ the trivial one-dimensional representation of $\mathfrak{g}$. All Lie algebra ...
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