On the cancellation problem for algebraic tori (Q506605)

Let \(X\) and \(Y\) be complex algebraic varieties. The Zariski Cancellation Problem asks whether the isomorphism \(X\times {\mathbb A}^n \cong Y\times {\mathbb A}^n\) implies \(X\cong Y\). By a result of \textit{S. Iitaka} and \textit{T. Fujita} [J. Fac. Sci., Univ. Tokyo, Sect. I A 24, 123--127 (1977; Zbl 0353.14013)], the answer is affirmative if \(X\) or \(Y\) is smooth and has non-negative (logarithmic) Kodaira dimension. However, when \(X\) and \(Y\) have (logarithmic) Kodaira dimension \(-\infty\), it is well-known that the problem has counterexamples. In fact, \textit{W. Danielewski} showed in [``On a cancellation problem and automorphism groups of affine algebraic varieties'', Preprint] that there exsit smooth \({\mathbb A}^1\)-ruled affine surfaces with non-cancellation property, which are called Danielewski surfaces. Usually, the Zariski Cancellation Problem is refered to the problem for \(Y={\mathbb A}^m\) in the above setting. In this case, the answer is affirmative if \(m\leq 2\) by virtue of the characterization of the affine space \({\mathbb A}^m\) for \(m\leq 2\), but the problem is wide open for \(m>2\). In this article, the author considers the cancellation problem which asks whether the isomorphism \(X\times {\mathbb T}^n \cong Y\times {\mathbb T}^n\) implies \(X\cong Y\) where \({\mathbb T}^n=\text{Spec}\: {\mathbb C}[x_1^{\pm 1},\ldots, x_n^{\pm 1}]\) for \(n \geq 1\). Contrary to the usual Zariski Cancellation Problem, when \(Y={\mathbb T}^m\), it is easily shown that the cancellation holds. In fact, consider the \({\mathbb T}^n\)-action on \(X\times {\mathbb T}^n\) by multiplication on the second factor. Taking the geometric quotient, we obtain \(X \cong X\times {\mathbb T}^n/{\mathbb T}^n\cong {\mathbb T}^{m+n}/{\mathbb T}^n\cong {\mathbb T}^m\). A smooth algebraic variety \(X\) is called of general type if the (logarithmic) Kodaira dimension \(\kappa(X)\) coincides with \(\dim X\). If either of \(X\) or \(Y\) is smooth and of general type, the answer is affirmative as well by another result of Iitaka and Fujita [op.cit.]. The main theorem of this article is as follows: For every \(d\geq 3\) and every \(\kappa\in \{2,\ldots, d-1\}\), there exist smooth factorial affine \({\mathbb A}^1_*\)-uniruled varieties \(X\) and \(Y\) of dimension \(d\) and logarithmic Kodaira dimension \(\kappa\) such that \(X\times {\mathbb A}^1_*\cong Y\times {\mathbb A}^1_*\) but \(X\ncong Y\). Further, there exist smooth factorial affine surfaces \(X\) and \(Y\) of logarithmic Kodaira dimension \(1\) such that \(X\times {\mathbb A}^1_*\cong Y\times {\mathbb A}^1_*\) but \(X\ncong Y\). The author constructs the varieties with noncancellation property by applying a variant of a result of Iitaka and Fujita and the techniques used in constructing counterexamples to the Zariski Cancellation Problem such as Danielewski surfaces. The varieties are obtained as total spaces of Zariski locally trivial \({\mathbb T}^1={\mathbb A}^1_*\)-bundles over a smooth algebraic variety of general type. Let \(p_i : P_i \to X_i\) be Zariski locally trivial \({\mathbb T}^n\)-bundles over smooth algebraic varieties \(X_i\) (\(i=1,2\)) and suppose that there exists an isomorphism \(\Phi : P_1\to P_2\) of abstract varieties. Then the following is shown which is a variant of a result of Iitaka and Fujita [op.cit., Theorem 3]; If either of \(X_1\) and \(X_2\) is of general type, then there exists an isomorphism \(\varphi : X_1\to X_2\) such that \(p_2\circ \Phi=\varphi\circ p_1\). As a corollary, we obtain a criterion for two total spaces of Zariski locally trivial \({\mathbb T}^n\)-bundles over a smooth variety of general type to be isomorphic as abstract varieties. We briefly look at the construction of varieties \(P\) and \(Q\) such that \(P\times {\mathbb A}^1_*\cong Q\times {\mathbb A}^1_*\) but \(P\ncong Q\). Let \(p : P \to X\) be a principal homogeneous \(G_m\)-bundle over a smooth variety \(X\) of general type (which is naturally considered as a Zariski locally trivial \({\mathbb T}^1\)-bundle over \(X\)) where \(G_m\) denotes the multiplicative group. The isomorphism class \([P]\) of \(p : P \to X\) corresponds to an element of the Čech cohomology group \(\check{H}^1(X,G_m)\cong H^1(X,G_m)\). Take a principal homogeneous \(G_m\)-bundle \(q : Q \to X\) so that the subgroup generated by \([P]\) coincides with the subgroup generated by \([Q]\) in \(H^1(X,G_m)\). Since \(p^*P\) is a trivial \(G_m\)-bundle over \(P\), \([P]\) is in the kernel of \(p^* : H^1(X,G_m) \to H^1(P,G_m)\). Similarly, \([Q]\) is in the kernel of \(q^* : H^1(X,G_m) \to H^1(Q,G_m)\). Since the subgroup generated by \([P]\) coincides with the subgroup generated by \([Q]\) in \(H^1(X,G_m)\), \(q^*P\) and \(p^*Q\) represent the trivial class in \(H^1(Q,G_m)\) and \(H^1(P,G_m)\), respectively. Let \(W=P\times_X Q\). Since the \(G_m\)-bundles \(pr_1: W\cong p^*Q \to P\) and \(pr_2: W\cong q^*P \to Q\) are trivial, we obtain \(P\times G_m \cong W \cong Q\times G_m\). Then it remains to choose an appropriate \(X\) and principal homogeneous \(G_m\)-bundles \(p : P \to X\) and \(q : Q \to X\) so that we can apply the criterion above and show that \(P\ncong Q\) as abstract varieties. Generalizing this technique, the author constructs smooth affine varieties \(P\) and \(Q\) such that \(P\times {\mathbb T}^{n'}\ncong Q\times {\mathbb T}^{n'}\) for every \(n'=0, \ldots, n-1\) but \(P\times {\mathbb T}^{n}\cong Q\times {\mathbb T}^{n}\) where \(n\geq 2\). He also shows that for smooth factorial affine surfaces \(S\) and \(S'\) such that \(S\times {\mathbb A}^1_*\cong S'\times {\mathbb A}^1_*\), if the logarithmic Kodaira dimension of \(S\) or \(S'\) is not equal to \(1\), then \(S\cong S'\) holds.