On deformations and the local Torelli problem of cyclic branched coverings (Q793799)

Let Y be a projective manifold and D a smooth divisor on it. Assume that \(D\in | F^ k|\), where F is a line bundle on Y and \(k\geq 2\) is an integer. A k-cyclic covering X of Y branched along D is the hypersurface of F defined locally by \(w^ k_{\alpha}=\Phi_{\alpha},\) where \(w_{\alpha}\) is the fibre coordinate of F and \(\phi_{\alpha}=0\) is the local equation of D. In this paper, the author studies the local Torelli problem of such X. This is the question whether locally periods of holomorphic n-forms on X \((n=\dim X)\) determine X. Griffiths gave a cohomological criterion for solving this problem provided that the Kuranishi space of X is smooth. In the first part of the paper, the author gives a sufficient condition for the Kuranishi space of X to be smooth under some assumptions on Y and F, which one may regard as a generalization of a result of \textit{J. J. Wavrik} [Am. J. Math. 90, 926- 960 (1968; Zbl 0176.039)]. Next he shows that Griffiths' criterion is reduced to the verification of certain conditions on the canonical bundle of X and some cohomology groups on Y, using the decompositions of the cohomology groups appearing in Griffiths' criterion under the action of the Galois group Gal(X/Y). As an application, the local Torelli theorem for cyclic coverings of the Hirzebruch surfaces is proved. It should be remarked that there are serious mistakes in the proofs of this theorem given by \textit{C. A. M. Peters} [Ann. Sc. Norm. Super. Pisa, Cl. Sci., IV. Ser. 3, 321-339 (1976; Zbl 0329.14011)] and by \textit{C. Peters, D. Lieberman} and \textit{R. Wilsker} [Math. Ann. 231, 39-45 (1977; Zbl 0367.14006)].