Completeness is determined by any non-algebraic trajectory (Q452041)

A holomorphic vector field on \(\mathbb C^2\) is said to be \textit{complete}, if its complex flow is a one-parametric group of global biholomorphic automorphisms of the phase plane defined for all complex time values. The main result of the paper under review is Theorem 1. It says that a polynomial vector field is complete if it has a non-algebraic phase curve where it is complete: the complex time parametrization of the phase curve is its universal covering by the complex line \(\mathbb C\). It generalizes previous results of the first author [Indiana Univ. Math. J. 53, No. 2, 647--666 (2004; Zbl 1080.32018); J. Differ. Equations 227, No. 1, 282--300 (2006; Zbl 1108.32012)]. The classification of complete polynomial vector fields up to algebraic automorphisms of \(\mathbb C^2\) was obtained by \textit{M. Brunella} [Topology 43, No. 2, 433--445 (2004; Zbl 1047.32015)]. Together with the authors' result, this implies that each entire non-algebraic trajectory of a polynomial vector field on \(\mathbb C^2\) is transformed by an algebraic automorphism of \(\mathbb C^2\) to that of a vector field from Brunella's classification. The proof of Theorem 1 is based on results of M. Brunella and M. McQuillan and previous work of the first author. A minimal resolution of singularities yields a reduced foliation with a Zariski dense parabolic leaf on a compact rational surface. A deep result of \textit{M. McQuillan} [Prog. Math. 202, 47--53 (2001; Zbl 1078.14503)] implies that the reduced foliation has Kodaira dimension either zero or one. The authors study these cases separately. In the case when the Kodaira dimension equals one, the authors show that the resolved foliation is Riccati. They deduce that the vector field under question is complete by using work of the first author [Zbl 1080.32018)]. In the case of zero Kodaira dimension Brunella's results from his above-mentioned paper imply that the resolved foliation is generated by a global holomorphic vector field on a smooth compact projective surface up to contractions of invariant curves and covering maps. To prove that the initial vector field is complete, the authors show that the union of the divisor at infinity and the exceptional divisor is invariant for the resolved foliation. This is the main part of the proof.