Sieve methods for varieties over finite fields and arithmetic schemes (Q2642765)

This is a survey of [Ann. Math. (2) 160, No. 3, 1099--1127 (2005; Zbl 1084.14026)] and the Ph.~D. thesis of Nghi Huu Nguyen about sieve methods for varieties over finite fields and schemes of finite type over \({\mathbb Z}\). For instance, it is proved that the density of homogeneous polynomials \(f\in {\mathbb F}_q[x,y,z]\) defining a smooth plane curve equals \((1-q^{-1})(1-q^{-2})(1-q^{-3})\). If \(X\) is a smooth quasiprojective subvariety of \({\mathbb P}^n\) of dimension \(m\) over \({\mathbb F}_q\), then the density of \(f\) such that \(\{f=0\}\cap X\) is smooth of dimension \(m-1\) equals \(\zeta_X(m+1)^{-1}\). Other results concern Whitney embedding theorems and Lefschetz pencils.