Appendix to ``Congruences for rational points on varieties over finite fields'' by N. Fakhruddin and C. S. Rajan (Q2575650)

Let \(f: X\to Y\) be a proper dominant morphism of smooth irreducible varieties over a finite field \(k\). This paper gives a positive answer to two questions raised in [\textit{N. Fakhruddin} and \textit{C. S. Rajan}, Math. Ann. 333, No. 4, 797--809 (2005; Zbl 1083.14022)], which concern with the eigenvalues of Frobenius acting on the étale cohomology of the fibers of \(f\), and its Hodge theoretic analogue. The first one is solved in the following form: If \(\text{CH}_0(X\times_Y\overline{k(X)})_{\mathbb{Q}}= \mathbb{Q}\), then for all closed points \(y\in Y(k)\), the eigenvalues of the geometric Frobenius acting on \(H^m\overline{(f^{-1}(y)_{\text{red}}},\mathbb{Q}_\ell)\) are divisible by \(|k|\) for all \(m\geq 1\). The second one is solved as follows. Notation being as above except that everything is defined over a field of characteristic \(0\) with \(Y\) connected. Assume that \(f\) is flat and there is a closed point \(y\in Y\) such that \(f\) is smooth in \(y\) and \(\text{gr}^F_0 H^m(f^{-1}(y))= 0\) for all \(m\geq 1\). Then \(\text{gr}^F_0 H^m(f^{-1}(z)_{\text{red}})= 0\) for all closed points \(z\in Y\) and all \(m\geq 1\).