Geography of log models: theory and applications (Q657299)

In this paper, assuming the log minimal model program and the semiampleness conjecture, the authors study how the geometry of log canonical pairs \((X,B)\) varies as we vary the boundary \(B\). For example, if \(X\) is a smooth complex projective variety, \(S_i\) are prime divisors, \(S=\sum _{i=1}^mS_i\) has simple normal crossings support and \(\mathcal B _S=\bigoplus _{i=1}^m [0,1]S_i\cong [0,1]^m\), then \((X,B)\) is log canonical for any \(B\in \mathcal B _S\). By the above conjectures, it follows that the subset \(\mathcal E _S\subset \mathcal B _S\) defined by the condition \(\kappa (K_X+B)\geq 0\) is a closed rational polyhedron. The authors consider several natural equivalence relations on \(\mathcal E _S\) motivated by the log minimal model program. The most interesting is \(\sim _{wlc}\) where \(B\sim _{wlc}B'\) if \((X,B)\) and \((X,B')\) have the same weak log canonical models and these models are numerically equivalent. In particular they show that \(\sim _{wlc}\) decomposes \(\mathcal E _S\) in to a finite union of rational polyhedra. The relationships between minimal models corresponding to different equivalence classes are discussed. The faces of \(\mathcal E_S\) which are not contained in faces of \(\mathcal B _S\) correspond to Mori log fibrations (i.e. contractions \(X\to T\) such that \(\dim X>\dim T\), \(\rho (X/T)=1\) and \(-(K_X+B)\) is ample over \(T\)). The relationships between these Mori log fibrations are described in terms of Sarkisov links. This paper builds on previous work of \textit{V. V. Shokurov} such as [J. Math. Sci., New York 81, No. 3, 2667--2699 (1996; Zbl 0873.14014)]. Some of these results are proven unconditionally in [\textit{C. Birkar, P. Cascini, C. D. Hacon} and \textit{J. McKernan}, J. Am. Math. Soc. 23, No. 2, 405--468 (2010; Zbl 1210.14019)].