Néron models and formal groups (Q1035250)

The construction of Néron models has been outlined by \textit{M. Artin} [in: Arithmetic Geometry, Proc. Storrs 1984, 213--230 (Springer: Berlin) (1986; Zbl 0603.14028)] and in the book by \textit{S. Bosch, W. Lütkebohmert} and \textit{M. Raynaud} [Néron Models, Ergebnisse der Mathematik und ihrer Grenzgebiete, 3. Folge, 21 (1990; Zbl 0705.14001)]. The main purpose of this note is to demonstrate that the use of invariant differential operators and formal groups permits some simplifications in the construction of Néron models. Namely, first the local theory is used to construct the formal group associated to the Néron model, which then simplifies the global steps, bypassing many of the difficulties in the construction as given in the book of Bosch, Lütkebohmert and Raynaud. In addition, some slight generalizations of the construction to non proper and non commutative group schemes are presented. Here the main idea is to consider the Néron extension property not for all Néron points but for a bounded subgroup of them. Finally a new proof of the stable reduction theorem which uses neither Jacobians nor the Weil-conjectures is given. Suppose that \(V\) is a discrete valuation ring, \(K\) its fraction field and \(k\) its residue field. Considered are valuation rings \(V'\supset V\) with fraction field \(K'\) such that a uniformizer in \(V\) remains a uniformizer in \(V'\) and such that the induced extension of residue fields \(k'/k\) is separable. For a scheme \(X_K\) over \(K\) a Néron point of \(X\) is a point in \(X(K')\) for some \(V'\subset K'\) as above. Assume \(G_K\) is a smooth separated group scheme over \(K\) and assume we are given a set \({\mathcal E}\) of Néron points which is open and bounded and closed under inverses and products (definitions for all these notions are given in the text). Then: Theorem. There exists a unique smooth separated group scheme \(G\) over \(V\) extending \(G_K\) such that (i) Any \(x'\in G_K(K')\) in \({\mathcal E}\) extends to an element in \(G(V')\). (ii) The reductions of these points (i.e. the values on \(k'\)) are Zariski-dense in the special fibre \(G_k\). Furthermore if \(S\) is a smooth \(V\)-scheme together with a \(K\)-map \(S_K\to G_K\) such that the elements of \({\mathcal E}\) which lift to \(V'\)-points of \(S\) have Zariski-dense reductions in the special fibre \(S_k\), then the generic map \(S_K\to G_K\) extends to \(S\to G\).