Generalization of a theorem of Manin-Shafarevich (Q2366813)

Let \(\{\Gamma_ t | t \in \mathbb{P}^ 1\}\) be a linear pencil of projective plane curves of degree \(m\geq 3\) defined over an algebraically closed field of arbitrary characteristic. Assume that this linear pencil satisfies the following conditions: (A1) Every member \(\Gamma_ t\) is irreducible, and the general member is smooth. (A2) The \(m^ 2\) base points \(P_ 0,P_ 1,\ldots,P_{m^ 2-1}\) of the pencil are distinct. Under these conditions, the generic member \(\Gamma\) of the pencil is a smooth plane curve of genus \((m-1)\cdot(m-2)/2\), defined over the rational function field \(K=k(t)\). The base point \(P_ 0\) (for example) defines an embedding of the general member into the Jacobian \(J\) of \(\Gamma\), and the remaining base points \(P_ 1,\ldots,P_{m^ 2-1}\) in \(\Gamma\) may be regarded as \(K\)-rational points in \(J\), i.e., as elements of the group \(J(K)\) of \(K\)-rational points of \(J\). The theorem of Manin-Shafarevich states that, in the special case of \(m=3\) and under the conditions (A1) and (A2), the eight base points \(P_ 1,\ldots,P_ 8\) are independent and generate a subgroup of index 3 in the Mordell-Weil group of the elliptic curve \(\Gamma\). Recently, the author of the present paper has generalized the notion of Mordell-Weil lattices to the higher-genus case [cf. Proc. Japan Acad., Ser. A 68, 247- 250 (1992)] and, as an application of this concept, he provides a corresponding generalization of the Manin-Shafarevich theorem in this brief note under review. His generalization of the theorem of Manin- Shafarevich to linear pencils of plane curves of degree \(m\geq 3\), satisfying conditions (A1) and (A2), states that the group \(J(K)\) of \(K\)- rational points in the Jacobian \(J\) is a torsion-free abelian group of rank \(m^ 2-1\), and the points \(P_ 1,\ldots,P_{m^ 2-1}\) are independent and generate a lattice of index \(m\) in \(J(K)\). In fact, this generalized version of the theorem of Manin-Shafarevich is an immediate corollary of a more general result on Mordell-Weil lattices, which is also proved in the present note. More precisely, the author proves the following theorem: The Mordell-Weil lattice \(J(K)\) is an integral unimodular lattice of rank \(m^ 2-1\), positive-definite with respect to the height pairing. It is even if and only if \(m\) is odd. Moreover, the points \(P_ 1, \ldots,P_{m^ 2-1}\) generate a sublattice of index \(m\), and there is a unique point \(Q\in J(K)\) such that \(mQ=P_ 1+\cdots+P_{m^ 2-1}\) and \(J(K)\) is freely generated by \(\{P_ 1, \ldots, P_{m^ 2-1},Q\}\). -- At the end, the author points out that his proof can be generalized to Lefschetz pencils of hyperplane sections of smooth algebraic surfaces of degree \(d\) in a projective space \(\mathbb{P}^ N\) with trivial Picard variety. The proof will be published elsewhere, but the result is illustrated by the instructive example of the Fermat surface of degree 4 in \(\mathbb{P}^ 3\).