Degeneracy of holomorphic curves in surfaces (Q2460722)

The paper under review deals with degeneracy theorems for holomorphic curves in smooth complex algebraic surfaces. Let \(X\) be a smooth complex algebraic surface and \(D_1,\dots, D_u\) \((u\geq 4)\) distinct irreducible divisors such that no three of them share a common point. Suppose that there exist positive integers \(n_1,\dots,n_u\) such that \(n_1D_1+\cdots+ n_uD_u\) is ample. Let \(\xi_i\) be the minimal positive solution of the equation \(D^2_i\xi^2- 2(D\cdot D_i)\xi+ D^2= 0\). The main theorem in this paper is as follows: If \(2D^2\xi_i> (D\cdot D_i)\xi^2_i+ 3D^2 n_i\), then any holomorphic curve \(f: \mathbb{C}\to X\) must be algebraically degenerate. The authors also prove that any holomorphic curve \(f: \mathbb{C}\to X\) must be algebraically degenerate when there exist positive integers \(n_1,\dots, n_u\), \(c\) sucht hat \(n_i n_j(D_i\cdot D_n)= c\) for all pairs \(i\), \(j\). The method in this paper is strongly motivated by a result of \textit{P. Corvaja} and \textit{U. M. Zannier} on integral points on surfaces [Ann. Math. (2) 160, No. 2, 705--726 (2004; Zbl 1146.11035)].