Extensions and biextensions of locally constant group schemes, tori and abelian schemes (Q1006833)

Let \(S\) be a scheme. By a semiabelian scheme over \(S\) we understand a group scheme over \(S\) which is an extension of an abelian scheme \(A\) over \(S\) by an \(S\)--torus \(T\). The objective of the paper under review is to study biextensions of a pair of semiabelian schemes \((G_1, G_2)\) by a third semiabelian scheme \(G_3\). The definition of biextensions (introduced by D. Mumford in 1968) is briefly recalled and motivated. \smallskip The author's main result is that biextensions of \((G_1, G_2)\) by \(G_3\) are essentially the same as biextensions of \((A_1, A_2)\) by \(T_3\), where the semiabelian scheme \(G_i\) is an extension of the abelian scheme \(A_i\) by the torus \(T_i\). This includes for example that biextensions of a pair of abelian schemes \((A_1, A_2)\) by a third abelian scheme \(A_3\) are trivial. \smallskip In order to obtain this result, homomorphism groups and extension groups, as well as the associated fppf-sheafs on \(S\) involving tori and abelian schemes are computed. Also locally constant group schemes, locally isomorphic to a finitely generated free commutative group (that is, character groups of tori) have to be taken into account. On the way several representability results are obtained. \smallskip Throughout the article much attention is paid to keep the assumptions on the base scheme \(S\) minimal. Many of the technical difficulties stem from this.