On ramifications of Artin-Schreier extensions of surfaces over algebraically closed fields of positive characteristic. II. (Q2255075)

The paper is concerned with the study of the ramification theory of Artin-Schreier extensions of algebraic surfaces, with the aim of answering, in certain cases, a question posed by \textit{K. Kato} in [Am. J. Math. 116, No. 4, 757--784 (1994; Zbl 0864.11057)].\newline The question is about the behaviour of his higher codimension ramification invariants: specifically the invariant \(r_x\), for \(x\) a closed point on a proper surface, is conjectured to be bounded from above by an expression depending on the ramification theory in codimension one only (the Swan conductor of the character defining the Artin-Schreier extension, computed along divisors).\newline The main idea is to look for a combinatorial interpretation of Kato's invariant \(r_x\), by finding suitable rational functions defining the Artin-Schreier extension of function fields, and then studying the local behaviour, of such functions, around the ramification divisor inside the surface. The paper is organized as follows:\newline In chapter 1, the author sets up the notation. Let \(X\) be a smooth proper surface over an algebraically closed field of characteristic \(p\), \(D\) a snc divisor and \(U\) its complement. A \(p\)-torsion \(l\)-adic character \(\chi: \pi_1(U)\to \bar{Q_l}^*\) defines an Artin-Schreier extension of \(K(X)\), given by \(\alpha^p-\alpha=f,f\in K(X)\), which is étale over \(U\).\newline In chapter 2, the author recalls the relevant definitions. Given an Artin-Schreier extension as above, and given a closed point \(x\in X\setminus U\), there exists a tower of blow-ups, centered at points over \(x\), \(p:X_s\to\dots\to X_0=X\), such that the resulting Artin-Schreier extension of \(X_s\) is clean along the complement of \(p^{-1}(x)\). Being clean is a local condition of transversality between the divisors \(D\) and \(\mathrm{div}(f)\). The invariant \(r_x\) is defined as a sum of expressions \(\sum_i \mu_i\), where each \(\mu_i\) is itself a simple formula depending uniquely on the Swan conductor of the \(i\)-th exceptional divisor, and that of the proper transform of the divisor \(D\). This is reminiscent of the notion of multiplicity of a divisor at a closed point \(x\) in a proper surface, defined as the intersection between the divisor and the exceptional locus of the blow-up at \(x\).\newline The author proceeds to construct, via a series of lemmas, a so-called good representative for the Artin-Schreier extension. This is an element \(g\in K(X)\) such that the extension is defined by the equation \(\alpha^p-\alpha=g\), and satisfying certain constraints on its behaviour around the ramification divisor \(D\), see Definition 2.\newline In chapter 3 the author defines a map \(Y(X,D,x)\) associating, to every Artin-Schreier extension as above, a Young diagram. The map is defined in terms of the good representative, but it turns out to be independent of any choice.\newline In chapter 4 the author introduces, in Definition 4, the crucial notion of good Artin-Schreier extension. It is verified, in Theorem 4.2, that for a good Artin-Schreier extension \(\chi\), Kato's invariant \(r_x\) can be read off the structure of the Young diagram \(Y(X,D,x)(\chi)\) solely, in fact \(r_x=|Y(X,D,x)(\chi)|\).\newline In chapter 5, it is pointed out that the identity \(r_x=|Y(X,D,x)(\chi)|\) implies Kato's conjecture for good Artin-Schreier extensions.\newline In chapter 6 and 7, some applications are discussed, including a lower bound for the Euler characteristic with compact support of the étale sheaf corresponding to the Artin-Schreier extension on \(U\). For part I,, cf. [the author, JSIAM Lett. 6, 33--36 (2014)].