The hyperring of adèle classes (Q5891752)

There are no fields of characteristic one; if it was, then \({\mathbb F}_1\) must have two elements \(1\neq 0\). Yet some analytic formulas arising in geometry of varieties over finite fields \({\mathbb F}_q\) make sense when \(q=1\). Therefore there is a quest for a mathematical object, which can be called a ``field with one element''. It is an interesting problem indeed, because \({\mathbb F}_1\) would be a natural extension to many results ranging from topology to number theory. \textit{C.~Soulé} [Mosc. Math. J. 4, No. 1, 217--244 (2004; Zbl 1103.14003)] introduced a zeta function \(\zeta_N(s)=\lim_{q\to 1} Z(q,q^{-s})(q-1)^{N(1)}\), where \(Z(q,T)=\exp \left(\sum_{r\geq 1}N(q^r){T^r\over r}\right)\) is the Hasse-Weil zeta function; such a function gives correct results for the rational projective varieties over \({\mathbb F}_1\). In order to get equality \(\zeta_N(s)=\zeta_{\mathbb Q}(s)\) (the Riemann zeta function), \textit{A.~Connes} and \textit{C.~Consani} [``Schemes over \({\mathbb F}_1\) and zeta functions'', \url{arXiv:0903.2024}] modified the counting function \(N(u)\) to satisfy certain integral equation involving logarithmic derivatives of \(\zeta_N(s)\). The paper under review is a survey of the recent results on \({\mathbb F}_1\) obtained by the author and C.~Consani. Building up on ideas of A.~Weil, the authors look for a formula of the counting function \(N(q)\) as the number of fixed points of a flow acting on the adele classes \({\mathbb A}_{\mathbb K}\) of a global field \({\mathbb K}\). Then using the work of \textit{M.~Krasner} [Int. J. Math. Math. Sci. 6, 307--311 (1983; Zbl 0516.16030)] they introduce a new concept of the hyperring in order to understand algebraic structure of the space \({\mathbb A}_{\mathbb K}/{\mathbb K}^{\times}\); the bonus is a good behavior of the construction in the case \(q=1\). Overall, the article makes an inspiring read covering vast areas of modern number theory, algebraic geometry and functional analysis; the text is highly recommended to the graduate students and faculty involved in number theory and noncommutative geometry.