On the Kodaira dimension of base spaces of families of manifolds (Q2031529)

A conjecture of Viehweg predicted that if the fibers of a smooth projective family \(f_U:U\to V\) are canonically polarized then \(\kappa(V)=\dim(V)\) when the family has maximal variation [\textit{E. Viehweg}, ICTP Lect. Notes 6, 249--284 (2001; Zbl 1092.14044)]. This conjecture was generalized to the case when the fibers have good minimal models and is referred to as \textit{Viehweg's Hyperbolicity Conjecture} which has recently been settled [\textit{M. Popa} and \textit{C. Schnell}, Invent. Math. 208, No. 3, 677--713 (2017; Zbl 1375.14043)]. Viehweg's hyperbolicity conjecture has been generalized by \textit{S. Kebekus} and \textit{S. J. Kovács} [Invent. Math. 172, No. 3, 657--682 (2008; Zbl 1140.14031)]; they predicted that for a smooth projective family \(f_U:U\to V\) whose general fiber admits a good minimal model, either \(\kappa(V)=-\infty\) and \(\mathrm{Var}(f_U)<\dim(V)\) or \(\kappa(V)\geq 0\) and \(\mathrm{Var}(f_U)\leq\kappa(V)\). The article under review refers to this conjecture as \textit{Kebekus-Kovács Hyperbolicity Conjecture I}, and proves the conjecture when \(\dim(V)\leq 5\). The proof is based on the existence of pseudo-effective Viehweg-Zuo subsheaves and a vanishing theorem for twisted logarithmic pluri-differential forms. More precisely, suppose \(f_U:U\to V\) be a smooth non-isotrivial family whose general fiber admits a good minimal model. For a smooth compactification \((X,D)\) of \(V\), the author shows that there exists a line bundle \(\mathcal{L}\) on \(X\) with \(\kappa(X,\mathcal{L})\geq \mathrm{Var}(f_U)\), a positive integer \(i\) and a pseudo-effective line bundle \(\mathcal{B}\) with an inclusion \(\mathcal{L}\otimes\mathcal{B}\subseteq(\Omega_X^1(\textrm{log}(D))^{\otimes i}\). The author refers to these newly constructed sheaves as pseudo-effective Viehweg-Zuo subsheaves. Further, for a pair \((X,D)\) consisting of a smooth projective variety \(X\) of dimension at most five, a reduced effective divisor \(D\) with simple normal crossing support and with \(\kappa(X,D)\geq 0\), the author proves the vanishing \(H^0(X, (\Omega_X^1(\textrm{log}(D))^{\otimes i}\otimes (\mathcal{L}\otimes\mathcal{B})^{-1})=0\) assuming \(\mathcal{B}\) is pseudo-effective and \(\kappa(\mathcal{L})>\kappa(X,D)\). A reformulation of the \textit{Kebekus-Kovács Hyperbolicity Conjecture I} using the solution of Viehwag's hyperbolicity conjecture has been referred to as \textit{Kebekus-Kovács Hyperbolicity Conjecture II}. The author also discusses the connection between Kebekus-Kovács Hyperbolicity Conjecture II and a conjecture of Campana in the final section of the article.