Trace formulas for motivic volumes (Q312741)

Let \(X\) be a smooth complex algebraic variety, let \(f: X \to \mathbb A_{\mathbb C}^1\) be a non-constant morphism and let \(x\) be a closed singular point of \(f^{-1}(0)\). To this data, one associates a \textit{Milnor Fiber} \(F_x\), which captures some information about the singularity at \(x\). The fiber \(F_x\) itself is not uniquely defined, but its cohomology groups \(H^i(F_x, \mathbb Q)\) are, and they moreover come with a \textit{monodromy action} \(M_x \in \text{Aut}(H^i(F_x, \mathbb Q))\). Deligne proved that the alternating sum \(\Lambda(M_x^m) := \sum_{i\geq 0} \text{Tr}(M_x^m; H^i(F_x, \mathbb Q))\) of the traces (a.k.a. the \textit{Lefschetz numbers}) are zero for \(0 < m < \mu\), where \(\mu\) is the multiplicity of \(f\) at \(x\). \textit{J. Denef} and \textit{F. Loeser} [Topology 41, No. 5, 1031--1040 (2002; Zbl 1054.14003)] then gave a ``geometric explanation'' of Deligne's result, interpreting \(\Lambda(M_x^m)\) as the Euler characteristic \(\chi_c(\mathcal X_{m,x})\) of a certain set \(\mathcal X_{m,x}\) of truncated arcs, which can easily be seen to be empty if \(m < \mu\). However, the proof of the equality \(\Lambda(M_x^m) = \chi_c(\mathcal X_{m,x})\) was still somewhat unsatisfactory, given that it used resolution of singularities. This has been fixed in [\textit{E. Hrushovski} and \textit{F. Loeser}, Ann. Sci. Éc. Norm. Supér. (4) 48, No. 2, 313--349 (2015; Zbl 1400.14015)], which contains a much more natural proof using the formalism of motivic integration developed in [\textit{E. Hrushovski} and \textit{D. Kazhdan}, Prog. Math. 253, 261--405 (2006; Zbl 1136.03025)]. The paper under review gives a survey of this proof and of related results.