Modularity of two double covers of \(\mathbb{P}^5\) branched along 12 hyperplanes (Q2168702)

The paper under review discusses the modularity of two examples of fivefolds defined over \(\mathbb{Q}\). Both examples are double covers of \(\mathbb{P}^5\) branched along a union of \(12\) hypersurfaces. Theorem 1: Let \(V_8\) be the double cover \(V_8\) of \(\mathbb{P}^5\) defined by \(t^2=\prod_{i=0}^5 x_i(x_1+x_{i+1})\). Then \(V_8\) is modular, i.e., there is a newform of weight \(6\) and level \(8\). Let \(Q_3:=V_8/\iota_3\), where \(\iota_3\) takes \(x_i\) to \(x_{6-i}\). Then the number of \(\mathbb{F}_p\)-rational points of \(Q_3\) is \(\sum_{i=0}^5 p^i-a_p-\phi(-1)p^2\), where \(a_p\) is the \(p\)-th Fourier coefficient of the newform of weight \(6\) and level \(8\) and \(\phi\) is the quotient character mod \(p\). Theorem 2: Let \(V_{32}\) be the fivefold defined by \[ t^2=(\prod_{i=0}^5 x_i)(x_0+x_1+(x_3+x_5)(x_2+x_4+x_5)(x_0+x_2-x_4) \] \[\times (x_1-x_2+x_4)(x_2-x_3+x_4). \] Let \(E\) be the elliptic curve \(y^2=x^3-x\) and let \(M\) be the \(K3\) surface defined by \(t^2=xyz(x+y)(y+z)(-x+z).\) Then \(V_{32}\) is birationally equivalent to the quotient of \(M\times M\times E\) by a group of order \(4\). Further, for all odd primes \(p\), there are \(\sum_{i=0}^5p^i-a_{6,p}-pa_{4,p}-2p^2a_{2,p}\) points on \(V_{32}\) over \(\mathbb{F}_p\). Here \(a_{i,p}\) is the \(p\)-th Fourier coefficient of the newform of weight \(i\) and level \(32\) that has complex multiplication. A quotient of \(V_{32}\) be a group of order \(4\) is birationally equivalent to a variety with \(\sum_{i=0}^5 p^i-a_{6,p}\) points over \(\mathbb{F}_p\) for all odd primes \(p\). (Here \(M\) is a \(K3\) surface with the Picard number \(20\), and realizes the CM newform of weight \(3\) and level \(16\) with quadratic character. \smallskip Proofs for Theorem 1 and Theorem 2 are somewhat different. For the example 1, it is shown that the number of \(\mathbb{F}_p\) rational points denoted by \([V_8]_p\) is equal to \(\sum_{i=0}^5 p^i-a_p-(b_p+\phi(-1)p)p\) where \(a_p, b_p\) denote the Hecke eigenvalues for the unique newform of level \(8\) and weight \(6\) and \(4\), respectively. Next, following a method of \textit{D. Burek} [J. Pure Appl. Algebra 223, No. 2, 547--552 (2019; Zbl 1401.14175)], a istrongly rigid fivefold realizing the same newform of weight \(6\) and level \(8\) as a quotient of \(V_8\), e.g., \(Q_3\). Then it is shown that \([Q_3]_p=\sum_{i=0}^5 p^i-a_p-\phi(-1)p^2\) for all odd primes \(p\). For the second example, the argument is more geometric, e.g., \(V_{32}\) has a birational model \(M\times M\times E/G_4\) where \(G_4\) is the group of automorphisms acting as \(-1\) on an even number of the factors and \(+1\) on the remaining ones. It admits a resolution \(V\) which is a Calabi-Yau fivefold, and the Galois representation on \(H^5_{et}(V,\mathbb{Q}_{\ell})\) coinsides with that of the newform of weight \(6\) and level \(32\).