An analogue of Liouville's theorem and an application to cubic surfaces (Q524918)

Let $k$ be a number field. \par In an earlier paper, the authors [Invent. Math. 200, No. 2, 513--583 (2015; Zbl 1337.14023)] proved a theorem on approximation to algebraic points on an integral projective scheme $X$ over $k$, which extends the celebrated theorem of K. F. Roth for $X=\mathbb P^1$. The paper under review provides a similar extension of Liouville's theorem. From now on let $X$ be a reduced projective scheme over $k$. \par Let $v$ be a place of $k$, and choose an extension of $v$ to an algebraic closure $\bar k$, which will also be denoted $v$. Choose a distance function $d_v(x,x')$ on $X(k_v)$, normalized in the same way as the contribution of $v$ to the multiplicative height $H_L$ on $X$ relative to a line bundle $L$ on $X$. \par Let $x\in X(\bar k)$. For any sequence $\{x_i\}\subseteq X(k)$ of distinct points with $d_v(x,x_i)\to 0$, define the \textit{approximation constant} $\alpha_x(\{x_i\},L)$ of $\{x_i\}$ with respect to $L$ to be the infimum of the set of all $\gamma\in\mathbb R$ for which $d_v(x,x_i)^\gamma H_L(x_i)$ is bounded from above. Also let $\alpha_x(L)$ be the infimum of $\alpha_x(\{x_i\},L)$ for all sequences $\{x_i\}$ as above. In both of these definitions the infimum of the empty set is taken to be $+\infty$. \par The main theorem of the paper is then the following (quoted from the paper with some small changes and corrections). Let $k$, $X$, $v$, and $x$ be as above. Let $K$ be the residue field of $x$, and let $d=[K:k]$. Assume that $x$ is not an isolated point of $X$, let $\widetilde X$ be the blowup of $X_K:=X\times_k K$ at $x$ with exceptional divisor $E$, and let $\pi$ be the composite $\pi:\widetilde X\to X_K\to X$. Let $L$ be a line bundle on $X$ such that $\log H_L$ is bounded from below on $X(k)$, and let $\gamma>0$ be a rational number. Finally let $B'$ be the stable base locus of $\pi^{*}L-\gamma E$ and set $B=\pi(B')$. Then there is a positive real constant $M$ such that $H_L(y)d_v(x,y)^{\gamma/d}\ge M$ for all $y\in X(k)\setminus(B(k)\cup\{x\})$. Moreover: \par (a). For any sequence $\{x_i\}\subseteq X(k)$ of distinct points with $d_v(x,x_i)\to0$, if infinitely many of the $x_i$ lie outside of $B$, then $\alpha(\{x_i\},L)\ge\gamma/d$. \par (b). If $\alpha_x(L)<\gamma/d$ then $x\in B$ and $\alpha_x(L)=\alpha_x(L|_B)$. \par (c). If $x\in B$ and $\alpha_x(L|_B)\ge\gamma/d$ then $\alpha_x(L)\ge\gamma/d$. \par Furthermore, if $X$ is integral and $X(k)$ is infinite, then there is an integral closed subscheme $Y$ of $X$, containing $x$ and with $Y(k)$ infinite, such that either (i) there is an $M'>0$ such that $H_L(y)d_v(x,y)^{\gamma/d}\ge M'$ for all $y\in Y(k)\setminus\{x\}$, or (ii) $(\pi^{*}L-\gamma E)|_{\widetilde Y}$ lies outside of the effective cone of $\widetilde Y$, where $\widetilde Y$ is some irreducible component of $\pi^{-1}(Y)$ for which $\widetilde Y\cap E\ne\emptyset$. \par Finally, the paper explicitly computes $\alpha_x$ and the Seshadri constant $\epsilon_x$ for all nef line bundles on $X$ and all $x\in X(k)$ not lying on a $(-1)$-curve, where $X$ is the blowup of $\mathbb P^2_k$ at six $k$-rational points in general position. This solves a conjecture of the first author [J. Algebr. Geom. 16, No. 2, 257--303 (2007; Zbl 1140.14016)].