Berkovich spaces, polytopes, skeleton, and model theory (Q1939987)

The article under review investigates some links between analytic geometry over a non-Archimedean field (in the sense of Berkovich) and tropical geometry. Let \(k\) be a complete non-Archimedean valued field, let \(X\) be a compact \(k\)-analytic space of dimension \(d\), and let \(f_{1},\dots,f_{n}\) be invertible functions on \(X\). Let \(\mathbf{f} : X \to \mathbb{R}_{>0}^n\) be the tropicalization map induced by the \(|f_{i}|\)'s. It is known that its image is a polytope of dimension at most \(d\) [\textit{R. Bieri} and \textit{J. R. J. Groves}, J. Reine Angew. Math. 347, 168--195 (1984; Zbl 0526.13003)] for a proof based on explicit computations with Newton polygons or [\textit{V. G. Berkovich}, Geometric aspects of Dwork theory. Vol. I, II. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter. 293--370 (2004; Zbl 1060.32010)] for a proof using de Jong's alterations). Ducros gives a new proof of the result by first reducing to an algebraic situation (by approximation arguments and Krasner's lemma) and then using quantifier elimination in the theory ACVF of algebraically closed valued fields with non-trivial valuations. The author refines the result in different ways. For instance, he proves that the image of the boundary \(\partial X\) is contained in a polytope of dimension at most \(d-1\). He also provides a local variant by showing that the image of a germ of analytic space at a point \(x\in X\) is a well-defined germ of polytope, and similarly for \(x\in \partial X\). The proof of the local results makes use of the theory of reduction of analytic germs [\textit{M. Temkin}, Isr. J. Math. 140, 1--27 (2004; Zbl 1066.32025)]. Let us now consider the map \(\varphi : X \to \mathbb{G}_{m}^{n,\mathrm{an}}\) induced by the \(f_{i}\)'s. The analytic torus \(\mathbb{G}_{m}^{n,\mathrm{an}}\) naturally contains a polytope \(S_{n}\) of dimension \(n\) called its skeleton. Ducros shows that \(\varphi^{-1}(S_{n})\) is endowed with a canonical piecewise-linear structure and that the induced map \(\varphi^{-1}(S_{n}) \to S_{n}\) is a piecewise-linear immersion. He already gave a proof the result in [Bull. Soc. Math. Fr. 131, No. 4, 483--506 (2003; Zbl 1068.14024)] using de Jong's alterations and with no mention of the canonicity property. Here the result is also generalized by allowing several maps~\(\varphi\) and by showing that the base change of \(\varphi^{-1}(S_{n})\) to any extension \(F/k\) only depends on the base change to some finite separable extension \(F_{0}/k\). To obtain canonicity, Ducros introduces an interesting notion of \(c\)-skeleton of \(X\): such a subspace carries a natural structure of piecewise-linear space whose definition involves \(X\) only. The proof of the result relies on several difficult model-theoretic arguments, for instance the definability of the analytification of a relative curve (in a sense to be made precise (see [\textit{E. Hrushovski} and \textit{F. Loeser}, Non-archimedean tame topology and stably dominated types. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press (2016; Zbl 1365.14033)]). Let us also mention that, all along the text, the author carefully investigates which real numbers may appear in the definition of the piecewise-linear structures in terms of the subgroup \(\Gamma\) of \(\mathbb{R}_{>0}\) that is used to define the space \(X\) and of the value group \(|k^{\times}|\). Finally, we would like to point out that the text is rather self-contained, with reminders on Temkin's theory, model theory, etc. It begins with a lengthy introduction that explains in some detail the strategies of the proofs, which is also quite helpful.