A Mordell-Weil theorem for cubic hypersurfaces of high dimension (Q1677812)

Let \(X\) be a smooth cubic hypersurface of dimension \(n\), defined over the rationals. If \(S\) is a set of rational points on \(X\) one can define \(\mathrm{Span}(S)\) as the set of all rational points of \(X\) obtainable from \(S\) by successive secant and tangent constructions. When \(n=1\) the Mordell-Weil theorem shows that whenever \(X\) has a rational point there is a finite generating set \(S\) such that \(\mathrm{Span}(S)=X(\mathbb{Q})\). \textit{B. Segre} [J. Lond. Math. Soc. 18, 24--31 (1943; Zbl 0060.09205)] asked whether the same might be true for cubic surfaces, and \textit{Yu. I. Manin} [Cubic forms. Algebra, geometry, arithmetic. Amsterdam-London: North-Holland Publishing Company; New York: American Elsevier Publishing Company, Inc. (1974; Zbl 0277.14014)] extended the question to higher dimensions. There has been little progress until now, but the present paper makes a surprising advance by showing that when \(n\geq 48\) there is a suitable generating set consisting of a single rational point. The proof begins by showing that if a rational point \(P\) is not an Eckardt point of \(X\) then \(\mathrm{Span}(P)\) contains all rational points in \(X\cap T_P X\), where \(T_P X\) is the tangent hyperplane at \(P\). One can then produce most rational points of \(X\) by repeating this process with non-Eckart points in \(X\cap T_P X\). For this to work one needs to find rational points on a variety formed by intersecting \(X\) with a quadric of dimension \(n-1\). Sufficient conditions for the existence of rational points on such varieties follow from the work of \textit{T. D. Browning} et al. [J. Inst. Math. Jussieu 14, No. 4, 703--749 (2015; Zbl 1327.11043)]. This uses the circle method, and it is here that the condition \(n\geq 48\) arises.