Mori dream spaces of Calabi-Yau type and log canonicity of Cox rings (Q2018383): Difference between revisions

\textit{Y. Hu} and \textit{S. Keel} [Mich. Math. J. 48, 331--348 (2000; Zbl 1077.14554)] introduced the notion of Cox ring generalizing the \textit{D. A. Cox}'s homogeneous coordinates ring of projective toric varieties [J. Algebr. Geom. 4, No. 1, 17--50 (1995; Zbl 0846.14032); erratum ibid. 23, No. 2, 393--398 (2014)]. Let \(X\) be an integral normal scheme over an algebraically closed field \(k\), assume that the divisor class group \(\mathrm{Cl}(X)\) is finitely generated. Then the Cox ring of \(X\) is defined as \[ \bigoplus_{(n_1, \dots, n_r \in \mathbb{Z}^r)} H^0(X, \mathcal{O}_X(n_1D_1 + \dots + n_rD_r)), \] where \(\{ D_1, \dots, D_r \}\) is a basis for \(\mathrm{Cl}(X)\). If the Cox ring of \(X\) is finitely generated over \(k\), then \(X\) is a \textit{Mori Dream Space}. One of the easiest examples of Mori Dream Spaces are projective toric varieties. Their Cox rings are isomorphic to polynomial rings [Zbl 0846.14032]. The converse is also true [Zbl 1077.14554]. In this way it is possible to characterize Mori Dream Spaces through the properties of their Cox rings. It has been proved [\textit{C. Birkar} et al., J. Am. Math. Soc. 23, No. 2, 405--468 (2010; Zbl 1210.14019)], that any \(\mathbb{Q}\)-factorial variety of Fano type is a Mori Dream Space. In [J. Algebr. Geom. 24, No. 1, 159--182 (2015; Zbl 1444.14044)], \textit{Y. Gongyo} et al. characterize Fano type varieties as Mori Dream Spaces whose Cox rings have at worst log terminal singularities. In the paper under review the authors consider the Calabi-Yau type case, their main theorem is the following. Theorem. Let \(X\) be a Mori Dream Space over a field of characteristic zero. Then \(X\) is of Calabi-Yau type if and only if the Cox ring of \(X\) has at worst log canonical singularities. Unlike the Fano type case, not every Calabi-Yau type variety is a Mori Dream Space, for example in [Compos. Math. 146, No. 4, 964--998 (2010; Zbl 1197.14040)], \textit{M. Artebani} et al. proved that a \(K3\) surface is a Mori Dream Space if and only if its automorphism group is finite.