Deligne's compatible \(\ell\)-adic representations (Q2883449)

The author gives an overview on Delignes conjecture on \(l\)-adic representations. He starts with the definition of the topological fundamental group \(\pi_1(X)\) of an affine variety \(X\). Let \(\mathbb{C}\) be the ground field. Then we can study \(\pi_1(X)\) by looking at the linear representations \(\pi_1(X)\rightarrow GL_n({\mathbb{C}})\). We know that the geometry over the complex numbers and over finite field have a lot of in common. What is the correct analogon to the fundamental group \(\pi_1(X)\) and to the linear representations over finite fields? Delignes describes this question in a precious way and formulates a conjecture. The best analogon of the fundamental group is the Weil group \(W(X)\). Instead of studying linear representations over the algebraic closure of the finite ground field, we have to study \(l\)-adic representations. This means representations over the \(l\)-adic field \(\overline{{\mathbb{Q}}}_l\). Now a theorem of Drinfeld says, that the \(l\)-adic representations does not really depend on the choice of the prime \(l\). Finally, the author describes the ideas of the corresponding proofs.