Monomialization of morphisms from 3-folds to surfaces (Q699949)

Let us say that a dominant morphism \(\Phi: X\to Y\) of nonsingular \(k\)-varieties (where \(k\) is a field of characteristic zero) is monomial if for any point \(p\in X\) there exists an étale neighborhood \(U\) in \(X\), uniformizing parameters \((x_1,\dots,x_n)\) on \(U\), and regular parameters \((y_1,\dots,y_m)\) in the local ring of \(\Phi(p)\), such that \(\Phi^*(y_j)\) are monomials in \(x_i\). Clearly, monomial morphisms are easier to analyze then morphisms in general. On the other hand, most morphisms \(\Phi:X\to Y\) are not monomial. These reasons stimulate the authors to seek to monomialize a morphism. By definition, a monomialization of a dominant morphism \(\Phi:X\to Y\) of \(k\)-varieties is a commutative diagram \[ \begin{tikzcd} X_1 \ar[r,"\Psi"]\ar[d] & Y_1\ar[d] \\ X \ar[r,"\Phi" ']& Y\rlap{\,,} \end{tikzcd} \] where \(X_1, Y_1\) are nonsingular, \(\Psi\) is a monomial morphism and vertical arrows are sequences of blow-ups of non-singular subvarieties. The existence of a monomialization of a morphisms between two surfaces was proved by \textit{S. D. Cutkosky} and \textit{O. Piltant} [Commun. Algebra 28, 5935--5959 (2000; Zbl 1003.14004)]. The main aim of the present lecture notes is to give a systematic development of the theory of monomialization of morphisms between algebraic varieties and to prove the existence of a monomialization for a dominant morphism from a 3-fold to a surface.