Stabilization of monomial maps (Q654930)

One of the important problems in higher-dimensional complex dynamics is the construction of currents and measures invariant under a given meromorphic self-map \(f: X\dashrightarrow X\) of a compact complex manifold \(X\). A self-map \(f\) in such a construction is said to be stable if its action on the cohomology of \(X\) is compatible with iteration. When \(f\) is not stable, one can try to make a bimeromorphic change of coordinates \(X'\to X\) such that the induced self-map of \(X'\) is stable. As showed in [\textit{C. Favre}, ``Monomial maps in two dimensions'', Mich. Math. J. 51, No. 3, 467--475 (2003; Zbl 1053.37021)], stability is not always achievable, but on the other hand, it can be achieved for bimeromorphic maps of surfaces [\textit{J. Diller} and \textit{C. Favre}, ``Dynamics of bimeromorphic maps of surfaces'', Am. J. Math. 123, No. 6, 1135--1169 (2001; Zbl 1112.37308)], for a large class of monomial mappings in dimension \(2\) [Favre, loc. cit.], and for polynomial maps of \(\mathbb{C}^2\) [\textit{C. Favre} and the first author, ``Dynamical compactifications of \(\mathbb{C}^2\)'', Ann. Math. (2) 173, No. 1, 211--249 (2011; Zbl 1244.32012)]. In the paper under review, the authors study the stabilization problem for monomial (or equivariant) maps of toric varieties, generalizing certain results of [Favre, loc. cit.] to higher dimensions. A toric variety \(X=X(\Delta)\) is defined by a lattice \(N\cong \mathbb{Z}^m\) and a fan \(\Delta\) in \(N\). A monomial self-map \(f: X\dashrightarrow X\) corresponds to a \(\mathbb{Z}\)-linear map \(\phi: N\to N\), and it is called \(1\)-stable if \((f^n)^* = (f^*)^n\), where \(f^*\) denotes the action on the Picard group of \(X\). The main result of the paper is then the following: Theorem A. Let \(\Delta\) be a fan in a lattice \(N\cong \mathbb{Z}^m\), \(N_{\mathbb{R}}=N\otimes_\mathbb{Z} \mathbb{R}\), and \(f: X(\Delta)\dashrightarrow X(\Delta)\) be a monomial map. If the eigenvalues of the associated linear map \(\phi: N_{\mathbb R}\to N_{\mathbb R}\) are real and satisfy \(\mu_1> \mu_2> \cdots>\mu_m>0\), then there exists a complete simplicial refinement \(\Delta'\) of \(\Delta\) such that \(X(\Delta')\) is projective and the induced map \(f: X(\Delta')\dashrightarrow X(\Delta')\) is 1-stable. In general, the variety \(X'=X(\Delta')\) will not be smooth, but the authors show (see Theorem A') that it is possible to obtain a smooth toric variety \(X(\Delta')\), replacing \(f\) with an iterate. Moreover, if the fan is trivial, that is \(X(\Delta)\) is the torus \((\mathbb{C}^*)^m\), then the assumptions on the eigenvalues can be relaxed, as proved by the authors (see Theorem B). Picking \(X(\Delta')\) smooth in Theorem \(A\) without passing to an iterate is quite delicate and the authors are able to address this problem only in dimension 2 (see Theorem C). To prove these theorems, the authors translate them into statements about the linear map \(\phi: N_{\mathbb R}\to N_{\mathbb R}\), and they ultimately prove that they can refine the original fan \(\Delta\) by adding cones so that the new fan \(\Delta'\) contains a finite collection of invariant cones, that together attract all 1-dimensional cones in \(\Delta'\). This article also contains many interesting and concrete examples, and the authors also provide a counterexample to the statement of Theorem A when the eigenvalues of \(\phi\) have mixed signs. As remarked in the introduction, some of the results of the paper under review have been obtained independently by \textit{J.-L. Lin} [``Algebraic stability and degree growth of monomial maps'', Math. Z. 271, No. 1--2, 293--311 (2012; Zbl 1247.32018)].