All Questions
40 questions
79
votes
12
answers
13k
views
Is there a high-concept explanation for why characteristic 2 is special?
The structure of the multiplicative groups of $\mathbb{Z}/p\mathbb{Z}$ or of $\mathbb{Z}_p$ is the same for odd primes, but not for $2.$ Quadratic reciprocity has a uniform statement for odd primes, ...
- 118k
34
votes
2
answers
3k
views
The work of E. Artin and F. K. Schmidt on (what are now called) the Weil conjectures.
I was reading Dieudonne's "On the history of the Weil conjectures" and found two things that surprised me. Dieudonne makes some assertions about the work of Artin and Schmidt which are no doubt ...
- 41.4k
19
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Elkies' supersingularity theorem in higher dimension
The following is a theorem of Elkies:
Let $X$ be an elliptic curve over $\mathbb{Q}$. Then there are infinitely many primes $p$ such that the action of Frobenius on $H^1(\mathcal{O}, X)$ is zero.
...
- 156k
8
votes
1
answer
747
views
Deligne's exterior power
In "Catégories Tannakiennes", Deligne defines the $n$th exterior power of an object $A$ of an abelian tensor category $\mathcal{C}$ as the image of the morphism
$$p : A^{\otimes n} \to A^{\otimes n}, ...
- 63.1k
7
votes
1
answer
5k
views
Chevalley's Theorem on Constructible Sets
I'm having a hard time understanding the theorem in the title, more specifically the proof of the related fact that the image of a dominant morphism contains a dense open set of it's closure. (My ...
- 75
6
votes
0
answers
343
views
Are all stabilizer groups of the co-adjoint action smooth?
Let $k$ be a (non-archimedean) local field of positive characteristic $p$ and $\mathfrak{n}$ be any finite-dimensional nilpotent Lie algebra over $k$ with nilpotence length $l<p$. It is well-known ...
- 1,702
1
vote
1
answer
241
views
locally closed orbits in metric Hausdorff topology
I learned the following fact from Bruhat and Tits's paper "Homomorphismes “abstraits” de groupes algebriques simples" Section 3.18 that
Let $k$ be a local field. Suppose that a $k$-group $H$ acts $k$...
- 1,702
37
votes
3
answers
5k
views
Is there a nice proof of the fact that there are (p-1)/24 supersingular elliptic curves in characteristic p?
If $k$ is a characteristic $p$ field containing a subfield with $p^2$ elements (e.g., an algebraic closure of $\mathbb{F}_p$), then the number of isomorphism classes of supersingular elliptic curves ...
- 45.7k
28
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Intuitive pictures in characteristic p
This is a tough one, but does anyone know of any images that recall characteristic p geometry (over algebraically closed fields) in some sense? It is not enough if it is some picture that can be also ...
- 2,215
27
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Reference for de Rham cohomology in positive characteristic
It is known in characteristic $0$ that (algebraic) de Rham cohomology is a Weil cohomology theory. However, in characteristic $p > 0$ it isn't, if only because it has mod $p$ coefficients, whereas ...
- 28.8k
25
votes
0
answers
1k
views
Status of the Euler characteristic in characteristic p
In the introduction to the Asterisque 82-83 volume on `Caractérisque d'Euler-Poincaré, Verdier writes:
Enfin signalons que la situation en caractéristique positive est loin
d'être aussi ...
- 8,723
21
votes
5
answers
5k
views
Mirror symmetry mod p?! ... Physics mod p?!
In his answer to this question, Scott Carnahan mentions "mirror symmetry mod p". What is that?
(Some kind of) Gromov-Witten invariants can be defined for varieties over fields other than $\mathbb{C}$...
- 21k
20
votes
5
answers
4k
views
Equivalent statements of the Riemann hypothesis in the Weil conjectures
In the cohomological incarnation, the Riemann hypothesis part of the Weil conjectures for a smooth proper scheme of finite type over a finite field with $q$ elements says that: the eigenvalues of ...
- 671
18
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Lifting varieties to characteristic zero.
If you want to compute crystalline cohomology of a smooth proper variety $X$ over a perfect field $k$ of characteristic $p$, the first thing you might want to try is to lift $X$ to the Witt ring $W_k$ ...
- 4,015
15
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Number of curves over a finite field
Let $K$ be a finite field. Is there a formula for the number of isomorphism classes of genus $g$ smooth curves over $K$?
In other words does there exists a formula for the number of rational points ...
- 8,998
15
votes
2
answers
814
views
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
14
votes
1
answer
1k
views
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
12
votes
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
11
votes
0
answers
1k
views
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
11
votes
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
votes
1
answer
2k
views
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
votes
0
answers
576
views
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
11
votes
2
answers
918
views
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
10
votes
3
answers
2k
views
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
votes
1
answer
1k
views
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
9
votes
1
answer
430
views
Existence of certain endomorphism of supersingular elliptic curve
Let $E$ be a supersingular elliptic curve over an algebraically closed field $K$ of characteristic $p$. Let $R = \operatorname{End}(E)$ be its ring of endomorphisms. Then, it is known $R \otimes_{\...
9
votes
1
answer
833
views
Endomorphism ring of simple ordinary abelian variety
Is there an example of an ordinary and simple abelian variety $A$ over an algebraically closed field $K$ (of characteristic $p>0$) such that ${\rm End}(A)$ is not commutative? Note that the answer ...
- 3,076
9
votes
1
answer
546
views
Showing subgroups with equal Lie algebras are equal
Let $k$ be a field. It might as well be algebraically closed, but I do not want to assume that it has characteristic $0$. I will write "group" for "affine group scheme over $k$", ...
- 12.9k
8
votes
1
answer
774
views
A variant on characteristic $p$ de Rham cohomology
I was thinking about de Rham cohomology in characteristic $p$, and in particular the recent question about Poincare residues, and I came up with the following construction.
Let $k$ be a perfect field ...
- 156k
8
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Lefschetz on étale fundamental group for quasi-projective varieties
If $X$ is a smooth projective variety of dimension at least $3$ over $\mathbb{C}$, Lefschetz's Hyperplane theorem says that for every hyperplane section $H$
$$\pi^1(H)\to\pi^1(X)$$
is an isomorphism, ...
- 483
7
votes
4
answers
736
views
Simply connected quasi-projective varieties in positive characteristic
I am looking for examples of non-projective (quasi-projective) varieties $X$ defined over a field of positive characteristic, which have trivial étale fundamental group.
It is well known that the ...
- 4,450
6
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Generic Smoothness Type of Results in Positive Characteristic
Let $f:X\to Y$ be a surjective morphism between two projective varieties over a field of characteristic $p>0$. Also assume that $f_*\mathcal{O}_X=\mathcal{O}_Y$, and $X$ is smooth.
We know that ...
- 313
5
votes
0
answers
243
views
Map associated to linear system onto curve is morphism
In Mumford's first paper on Surfaces in char $p$ [1], part 2 Step (II), he wants to show that, given an indecomposable curve of canonical type $D$ on a smooth projective surface $F$ with $p_g(F)=0, ...
- 61
5
votes
0
answers
387
views
Are these empirical discoveries about the Serre Swinnerton-Dyer ring of prime level modular power series actual theorems?
In this question Joel Bellaiche constructed an algebra, M, of modular forms for
gamma_0 (N) in finite characteristic (which he called p, but I'll call ell) and asked to know its structure. Matt ...
- 5,422
5
votes
1
answer
344
views
Surjection onto endomorphisms of multiplicative group of a field
Let $k$ be an algebraically closed field of characteristic $p > 0$. Denote by $k^\times$ the multiplicative group of $k$. There is a ring homomorphism given by restriction to $k^\times$
$$
\mathbb{...
- 53
4
votes
1
answer
918
views
Heisenberg group in characteristic two
I have seen two constructions called the Heisenberg group. If $k$ is a field of characteristic not equal to $2$ and $V$ is a $2n$-dimensional vector space over $k$ with symplectic form $\omega : V \...
- 3,605
4
votes
1
answer
627
views
Can the projection (tensor algebra) -> (symmetric algebra) be forced to split in char. p by factoring out p-th powers?
Question 1 (the weak and simple statement, which, I think, already is wrong): Let $p$ be a prime. Let $k$ be a field with characteristic $p$.
For any $k$-vector space $V$, consider the canonical ...
- 33.8k
3
votes
0
answers
94
views
Dimension of a kernel of a cocycle map
Inspired by a previous question (Dimension of a kernel of a linear map) and some of the answers I was given I thought wheter I can generalize the question to the following:
Compute the kernel (or at ...
- 911
3
votes
1
answer
343
views
Two spaces attached to mod 2 level 9 modular forms--a conjectural Hecke isomorphism
MOTIVATION
Nicolas and Serre have analyzed the structure of the space of mod $2$ modular forms of level $1$, viewed as a "Hecke-module". They show that for each $p>2$, the operator $T_p$ acting on ...
- 5,422
0
votes
2
answers
2k
views
non discrete valuation ring [closed]
Hi,
I am looking for examples of non-discrete valuation rings. Could you help me?
Thanks
- 141