An Enriques classification theorem for surfaces in positive characteristic (Q2313937)

The paper under review makes a contribution to the classification of projective algebraic surfaces over a field of characteristic at least \(5\). In particular, the author proves that if \(p_1(X)=p_4(X)=1\) and \(h^1(X,\mathcal{O}_X)=2\) for a smooth, projective surface \(X\) defined over a field of characteristic at least \(5\), then \(X\) is birational to an abelian variety. This is a version in positive characteristic of a theorem of \textit{J. A. Chen} and \textit{C. D. Hacon} [Invent. Math. 143, No. 2, 435--447 (2001; Zbl 0996.14020)], which proves the analogous result in characteristic zero (and in much greater generality), except with \(p_1(X)=p_2(X)=1\) instead of \(p_1(X)=p_4(X)=1\). When the author assumes that \(p_1(X)=p_2(X)=1\) and \(h^1(X,\mathcal{O}_X)=2\), they can only prove that \(X\) is birational to an abelian surface if two rather unlikely alternative possibilities are ruled out.