A finiteness theorem for Galois representations of function fields over finite fields (after Deligne) (Q1937762)

The paper under review fits into the greater framework of the Langlands correspondence, concerning irreducible lisse \(\bar{\mathbb Q}_\ell\)-sheaves with finite determinant and fixed rank over a normal connected scheme \(X\) of finite type over a finite field of characteristic \(p\). The central conjectures in this area, concerning weight, characteristic polynomials of Frobenius and companions (due to \textit{P. Deligne} [Publ. Math., Inst. Hautes Étud. Sci. 52, 137--252 (1980; Zbl 0456.14014)]), have been proved by \textit{L. Lafforgue} [Invent. Math. 147, No. 1, 1--241 (2002; Zbl 1038.11075)] for smooth curves and extended by \textit{P. Deligne} [Prog. Math. 67, 1--19 (1987; Zbl 0656.14010)] and \textit{V. Drinfeld} [Mosc. Math. J. 12, No. 3, 515--542 (2012; Zbl 1271.14028)]. In parallel with certain finiteness results in the smooth complex setting, namely for summands of polarized variations of Hodge structures (by \textit{G. Faltings} [Invent. Math. 73, 337--347 (1983; Zbl 0588.14025)] and \textit{P. Deligne} [Prog. Math. 67, 1--19 (1987; Zbl 0656.14010)]), a letter of Deligne to Drinfeld from 2011 sketches the following result: Theorem. There are only finitely many irreducible lisse \(\bar{\mathbb Q}_\ell\)-sheaves of fixed rank up to twist (and isomorphism) on \(X\), assuming a suitable bound on the ramification at \(\infty\). The present paper gives a detailed account of Deligne's proof, with some slight simplifications (based on discussions at the Forschungsseminar in Essen in 2011). Applications include the existence of affine moduli of finite type over \(\mathbb Q\), the existence of a number field containing all the traces of the Frobenii simultaneously (part of the above conjectures), and the finiteness of the degree zero part of the relative Chow group of \(0\)-cycles with bounded modulus.