\(K\)-equivalent varieties and piecewise geometry (Q2380758)

In the context of so-called \` piecewise algebraic geometry\'\ in characteristic zero, there is a leading question of Larsen and Lunts: if two varieties have the same class in the Grothendieck ring of varieties, are they piecewise isomorphic (the converse being obvious)? In this paper the author studies a similar question, assuming now that the two varieties are \(K\)-equivalent. We fix an algebraically closed base field of characteristic zero. Recall that two varieties \(X\) and \(Y\) are \textsl{piecewise isomorphic} if there exist finite partitions \((X_i)_{i\in I}\) and \((Y_i)_{i\in I}\) of \(X\) and \(Y\), respectively, in locally closed subvarieties such that \(X_i\) is isomorphic to \(Y_i\) for all \(i\in I\). Two smooth and irreducible varieties \(X\) and \(Y\), that are birationally equivalent, are called \textsl{\(K\)-equivalent} if there exists a smooth variety \(Z\) and proper and birational morphisms \(f:Z\to X\) and \(g:Z\to Y\), such that the relative canonical divisors \(K_{Z|X}\) and \(K_{Z|Y}\) on \(Z\) are equal. Denote here by \(C_X\) and \(C_Y\) closed subvarieties of \(X\) and \(Y\), respectively, such that their open complements are isomorphic via \(f\) and \(g\). The following is the main result of the paper. \newline Let \(X\) and \(Y\) be \(K\)-equivalent complete varieties. If \(\dim(C_X)=\dim(C_Y)\leq 2\), then \(X\) and \(Y\) are piecewise isomorphic. \newline The proof uses the geometry of jet spaces and certain \` birational simplification techniques\'\ from [Math. Z. 265, No. 2, 321--342 (2010; Zbl 1195.14003)] by \textit{Q. Liu} and the author. As a corollary, birationally equivalent complex (connected, smooth and complete) Calabi-Yau varieties of dimension at most \(4\) are always piecewise isomorphic.