\(\varepsilon\)-factor of a tamely ramified sheaf on a variety (Q1319231)

The \(\varepsilon\)-factor of a smooth \(\ell\)-adic sheaf \({\mathcal F}\) on a smooth variety \(U\) over a finite or a local base field \(k\) is studied. If the base field \(k\) is finite, it is the constant \[ \varepsilon_ 0(U/k,{\mathcal F})=\prod_ i\text{det}(-Fr_ k:H_ c^ i(U_{\overline k},{\mathcal F}))^{(-1)^{i+1}} \] of the functional equation of the \(L\)- function of \({\mathcal F}\). If \(k\) is local, it is the local constant \(\varepsilon_ 0(U/k,{\mathcal F})=\prod_ i \varepsilon_{0,k} (H^ i_ c (U_{\overline k}, {\mathcal F}),\psi,\mu)^{(-1)^ i}\) of Langlands- Deligne. The sheaves treated are assumed to have at worst tame ramification along the boundary. The formula obtained involves the relative canonical cycle \(c_{X,U/k}\) defined in the cohomology with compact support \(H_ c^{2n}(U,\hat\mathbb{Z}'(n))\) for \(n=\dim X\) and \(\hat Z'(n)=\prod_{p'\neq p} \mathbb{Z}_{p'} (n)\), which is a refinement of the usual Chern class \((-1)^ nc_ n (\Omega^ 1_{X/k} (\log D)) \). Theorem 1 asserts that, when \(k\) is finite, the ratio \(\varepsilon_ 0(U/k,{\mathcal F}) \times \varepsilon_ 0(U/k,\mathbb{Q}_ \ell)^{-\text{rank} {\mathcal F}}\) is the product of the value \(\text{det} {\mathcal F} (c_{X,U/k})\) of the determinant character \(\text{det} {\mathcal F}\) evaluated at the relative canonical cycle and Gauss sums. It is a generalization of result of \textit{S. Saito} [J. Fac. Sci., Univ. Tokyo, Sect. IA 31, 287-296 (1984; Zbl 0567.14017)] for the unramified case. For a local field, a similar formula (theorem 2) is proved for \(\varepsilon_ 0(U/k,{\mathcal F})\) under the assumption that the reduction of \(U\) is also tame. For general reduction, a conjecture is formulated. It is a refinement of a conductor formula of \textit{S. Bloch} [Algebraic Geometry, Proc. Summer Res. Inst., Brunswick 1985, Part 2, Proc. Symp. Pure Math. 46, No. 2, 421-450 (1987; Zbl 0654.14004)].