All Questions
393 questions
15
votes
6
answers
3k
views
Characteristic zero and characteristic $p$ in algebraic geometry
Are there non-trivial (i.e. excluding concepts that can be defined only for $p>0$) statements in algebraic geometry that hold for all fields of characteristic $p$ for all prime $p$ but are known ...
7
votes
0
answers
207
views
Unicritical rational functions on curves in characteristic $p$
Let $k$ be an algebraically closed field of positive characteristic $p$, and let $X_{/k}$ be a smooth projective connected curve. Let $x_0$ be a point of $X(k)$.
How precisely can one describe the ...
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 \...
4
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Is the absolute Galois group of the field of Laurent series in positive characteristic finitely generated?
If $K$ is an algebraically closed field of characteristic $p>0$, then $K((t))$, the field of Laurent series with coefficients in $K$, has infinitely many Galois extensions of degree $p$. Indeed, ...
1
vote
0
answers
238
views
Classification of fibres in pencils of curves of genus two
For the case of characteristic positive, there exist some clasification of families of curves of genus two over a elliptic curve?.
2
votes
0
answers
279
views
deRham cohomoloy of CM liftings of Jacobians
Let $k$ be field of characteristic $p>0$ and $W=W(k)$ the ring of Witt vectors of $k$. We call a smooth curve over $k$, ordinary, when the Jacobian of $J(X)$ of $X$ is an ordinary abelian variety. ...
17
votes
4
answers
2k
views
What are supersingular varieties?
For varieties over a field of characteristic $p$, I saw people talking about supersingular varieties.
I wanted to ask "why are supersingular varieties interesting". However, as I don't want to ask an ...
3
votes
0
answers
742
views
Explicit description of O^{cris}_n in Fontaine/Messing
Let $k$ be a perfect field of characteristic $p$, $W(k)$ the Witt ring and $K$ its quotient field. In their article "$p$-adic periods and $p$-adic etale cohomology" Fontaine and Messing give in II.1.4 ...
8
votes
1
answer
982
views
Is there a really big ring of differential operators in characteristic p?
$k$ is a field of characteristic $p$.
$k[t]$ has canonical first-order differential operator $\partial$
As an endomorphism of $k[t]$, $\partial^p=0$.
First way to fix it:
Use the divided power ...
4
votes
1
answer
796
views
Deformation space of non-ordinary abelian varieties
It is a well known result of Serre and Tate that if $A$ is an ordinary abelian variety over a field $k$ of characteristic $p>0$, then the deformation space $\mathcal{M}$ of $A$ to an abelian ...
10
votes
6
answers
2k
views
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 ...
6
votes
0
answers
436
views
Do there exist weak Lefschetz-type statements that were proved for varieties over complex numbers, but were not proved in finite characteristic?
As far as I understood the situation (reading section 3.5B of Lazarsfeld's "Positivity in algebraic geometry" and also some of the references), some of weak Lefschetz-type statements known rely on '...
5
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Minimal Model Program for surfaces over algebraically closed fields of characteristic p
Let $k$ be an algebraically closed field of characteristic $p>0$.
I have been trying to find out unsuccessfully if there is a mmp for algebraic surfaces over $k$. I know minimal surfaces are ...
2
votes
0
answers
464
views
understanding Milne's article "Duality in the flat cohomology of a surface"
I have trouble understanding a point of Milne's article "Duality in the flat cohomology of a surface" http://jmilne.org/math/articles/1976a.pdf
see the "Alternatively" on p. 177, paragraph before ...
3
votes
0
answers
308
views
Invertible Hasse-Witt for non-ordinary curves
Assume that $S$ is a smooth curve of over a field $k$ of characteristic $p>0$ and $f\colon X\to S$ is a relative curve over $S$ (i.e., the fibers are curves). It is well-known that when all the ...
3
votes
1
answer
805
views
Finite connected groups over a perfect field of characteristic p
In 14.4 of "Introduction to Affine Group Schemes" it is proved (!) that if $A$ represents a finite connected group scheme over a perfect field $k$ of characteristic $p$ then $A$ has the form $k[X_{1}, ...
3
votes
1
answer
459
views
Frobenius functor and length of local cohomology
Let $(R,\mathfrak{m})$ be a Noetherian local ring of positive prime characteristic $p$ and let $F$ be the Frobenius functor. Write $d$ for dimension of $R$. Assume that for some $0\leq i< d $ the ...
5
votes
0
answers
454
views
If $p=0$ and $df=0$, is $f$ a $p$th power?
This question is a follow-up to When does the relative differential $df=0$ imply that $f$ comes from the base?. There it was asked, for an $A$-algebra $B$, under what conditions does $df=0$ (in the ...
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 ...
9
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Top chern class in positive characteristic
Given a nonsingular, projective variety $X$ of dimension $n$ over an algebraically closed field $k$.
Over $k=\mathbb{C}$, the top chern class $c_n(T_X)$ of the tangent sheaf is the Euler ...
4
votes
0
answers
197
views
Inequalities between numerical invariants of nonsingular projective Varieties in positive Characteristic
It is well-known that Miyaoka and Yau-type inequalities do not hold in positive characteristic. In "a note on Bogomolov-Gieseker’s inequality in positive characteristic", however, we can ...
1
vote
1
answer
700
views
CM liftings of abelian varieties and liftings of Frobenius
It is well-known that if $A$ is an ordinary abelian variety over a finite perfect field $ k$ of characteristic $ p>0$ and $ W=W(k)$ is the ring of Witt vectors over $ k$, then the canonical ...
0
votes
2
answers
386
views
Zariski closures of one parameter additive maps in positive characteristic
Suppose we are in characteristic $p$, and that the field, $K$, that we are working over is imperfect. We have a map $\Theta: K \to K^{\delta}$ where each coordinate function $\Theta_i$ is an additive ...
4
votes
1
answer
673
views
Inseparable Galois Cohomology
First let me give a general form of my question, and then I'll give some motivation and a more specific version of it. Let $K/k$ be a Galois extension of fields with Galois group $G$, and let $X$ be ...
5
votes
1
answer
710
views
Log resolutions on surfaces and 3-folds in characteristic p
If $X$ is a normal projective variety and $D$ a divisor in it, we say that $\pi\colon (\widetilde X,\widetilde D)\rightarrow (X,D)$ is a log resolution if $\widetilde X$ is a resolution of $X$, the ...
8
votes
0
answers
873
views
Resolution of singularities in positive characteristic
I am currently trying to make some small parts of the minimal model program work for some very explicit varities in positive characteristic. I have such a variety $X_1$ and I know that there is a ...
9
votes
0
answers
560
views
Function fields of characteristic p modular curves, and mod p reductions of the classical modular equation
Let l and p be distinct primes, l>2. There are "characteristic p modular curves" X_0(l) and X(l), defined over an algebraic closure, K, of Z/p, solving moduli problems for elliptic curves with some ...
2
votes
1
answer
406
views
Isomorphism between pull-backs of an F-crystal by different liftings of Frobenius
This might be a naive question. But since I haven't seen this in any reference, I'll try to ask it here. Let $T$ be a smooth scheme over the algebraically closed field $k$ of characteristic $p>0$ (...
6
votes
1
answer
804
views
Del pezzo surfaces in positive characteristic
For me a Del Pezzo surface $X$ over an algebraically closed field of characteristic $p$ is an algebraic surface where the anticanonical bundle $\omega^{-1}_X$ or $-K_X$ is ample. (I prefer the second ...
21
votes
1
answer
2k
views
When does the relative differential $df=0$ imply that $f$ comes from the base?
Let $A \to B$ be a map of commutative rings, and $d : B \to I/I^2$ be
defined by $df = f\otimes 1 - 1\otimes f$, where $I$ is the kernel of
$B \otimes_A B \to B$, as in [Hartshorne II.8].
If $df=0$,...
5
votes
1
answer
446
views
More questions involving characteristic 2 theta series identities
In my answer to my earlier question, "Existence of certain identities involving characteristic 2 thetas", I established some curious identities when the thetas have prime "level" congruent to 1 mod 4 ...
2
votes
1
answer
304
views
Connected extensions of finite by connected algebraic groups
Let $1\to H\to E\to G\to 1$ be a short exact sequence of algebraic groups defined over an algebraically closed field $k$ of characteristic $p$. Suppose $H$ is a finite group, and $G$ and $E$ are ...
11
votes
1
answer
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 ...
8
votes
1
answer
331
views
If C is a fusion category over a field of nonzero characteristic and dim C = 0, is Z(C) ever fusion?
If $C$ is a fusion category and $\dim(C) \neq 0$ (the latter is automatic in characteristic zero, but not in nonzero characteristic), then the Drinfel'd center $Z(C)$ is fusion. More generally, if $C$...
3
votes
0
answers
281
views
What would be a characteristic-$p$ analogue for $C^{\infty}$-fiber bundles?
I'd like to know a notion for a morphism between algebraic varieties in characteristic $p$ that plays the role of a $C^{\infty}$-fiber bundle. It should be, in particular, flat. I'm not assuming the ...
9
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Coderivations of $S(V)$ correspond to linear maps $S(V) \to V.$ Only over characteristic $0$?
Definition. Let $k$ be a commutative ring. Let $V$ be a $k$-module. We turn the symmetric algebra $\mathrm{S}\left(V\right)$ of $V$ into a graded Hopf algebra by defining the comultiplication
\begin{...
13
votes
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 $Spec\ k[\epsilon]/\langle \epsilon^2 \rangle \times M \to M$...
12
votes
1
answer
2k
views
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 ...
21
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Simplest example of jumping of cohomology of structure sheaf in smooth families?
Using Hodge theory (and the ill-defined Lefschetz principle), one can show that in characteristic 0, given a proper smooth family $X \rightarrow B$, the cohomology groups of the structure sheaf of the ...
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 ...
9
votes
0
answers
1k
views
Ample vector bundles, $H^1=0$ and global generation in characteristic $p$
This is a follow up from Ample vector bundles on curves question, in characteristic $p>0$. First, some background. It is known that in characteristic $0$, a vector bundle $E$ on say a projective ...
32
votes
10
answers
3k
views
Which 'well-known' algebraic geometric results do not hold in characteristic 2?
A smooth curve $X$ in $\mathbb{P}^n$ is strange if there is a point $p$ which lies on all the tangent lines of $X$.
Examples are $\mathbb{P}^1$ is strange and so is $y=x^2$ in characteristic $2$. ...
4
votes
1
answer
221
views
Do permutation modules of solvable groups have self-dual socle in characteristic 2?
I was searching through the small groups database in GAP to find counterexamples to a certain conjecture (which is not important here). I was checking non-nilpotent solvable groups and noticed that ...
5
votes
2
answers
556
views
Existence of certain identities involving characteristic 2 "thetas"
Let l=2m+1 be prime. In my previous MO question, "What are the polynomial relations between these characteristic 2 thetas?", I defined a subring of Z/2[[x]] as follows:
The subring, S, is generated ...
7
votes
2
answers
1k
views
How does one compute induced representations for modular representations?
The set-up is this: Let $G$ be a finite group, and $H$ a subgroup. We are given an irreducible representation of $H, \rho: H\rightarrow GL_n(K)$ (I will notationally identify $\rho$ with its character)...
5
votes
0
answers
234
views
Modular reduction of exceptional complex reflection groups
I am interested in reducing reflection representations of complex reflection groups modulo a prime $p$. For the infinite family $G(m,r,n)$, it is straightforward to get "good reduction" provided that $...
7
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Can proper-smooth base change be used to show that varieties cannot be lifted to characteristic zero?
Recall the following corollary to the proper and smooth base change theorems:
Let $\pi: X \to S$ be a proper, smooth morphism. Then the direct images $R^i \pi_* \mathcal{F}$ are locally constant ...
19
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Bertini theorems for base-point-free linear systems in positive characteristics
Suppose that $X$ is a smooth algebraic variety over an algebraically closed (uncountable if it helps) field of characteristic $p > 0$. Suppose that $L$ is a line bundle, probably ample or at least ...
12
votes
4
answers
2k
views
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 ...
2
votes
1
answer
690
views
Restricted universal enveloping algebra of Abelian p-Lie algebra
Question: Let $p$ be a prime. Let $k$ be a commutative ring such that $p=0$ in $k$.
Let $\mathfrak g$ be an abelian $p$-restricted Lie algebra over $k$. In other words, let $\mathfrak g$ be a $k$-...