Mordell-Lang in positive characteristic (Q899684)

The full Mordell-Lang conjecture in positive characteristic is the following Conjecture. Let \(L\) be an algebraically closed field of positive characteristic \(p\). Let \(A/L\) be a semiabelian variety, let \(X\) be an irreducible subvariety of \(A\) and let \(\Gamma\subset A(L)\) be a subgroup of finite rank. If \(X(L)\cap\Gamma\) is Zariski dense in \(X\), then there exists a semiabelian variety \(B/\bar{\mathbb F_p}\) , a subvariety \(Y\) of \(B\) over \(\bar{\mathbb F_p}\), a homomorphism \(h:B_L\to A/\mathrm{Stab}_A(X)\) with finite kernel, and an element \(a\in (A/\mathrm{Stab}_A X))(L)\) such that \(X/\mathrm{Stab}_A(X)=h(Y )+a\). The paper under consideration gives a new and interesting proof of the following Theorem. The above conjecture is true in the case that the group \(\Gamma\) is finitely generated. The first proof of this theorem has been given by \textit{E. Hrushovski} [J. Am. Math. Soc. 9, No. 3, 667--690 (1996; Zbl 0864.03026)] using methods from model theory. A different proof using algebro-geometric methods for the above theorem was recently given by \textit{D. Rössler} [Algebra Number Theory 7, No. 8, 2039--2057 (2013; Zbl 1295.14024)]. The author gives here a new third proof of the above theorem based on formal geometry and a careful study of the underlying \(p\)-divisible group, cleverly combined towards the end of the proof with a method of \textit{D. Abramovich} and \textit{J. F. Voloch} [Int. Math. Res. Not. 1992, No. 5, 103--115 (1992; Zbl 0787.14026)], who gave a proof of the above theorem in the case where \(A\) is defined over \(\bar{\mathbb F_p}\). Furthermore, combining his method with a reduction due to Ghioca, Moosa and Scanlon, the author proves that in the case that \(A\) is an ordinary abelian variety the full Mordell-Lang conjecture in positive characteristic can be reduced to the following Conjecture. Let \(L_0\) be a finitely generated extension of \(\mathbb F_p\) and let \(L^{\mathrm{per}}_0\) be a perfect closure of \(L_0\). Let \(A\) be a semiabelian variety over \(L_0\) and let \(X\) be an irreducible subvariety of \(A_{L^{\mathrm{per}}_0}\). If \(X(L^{\mathrm{per}}_0)\) is Zariski dense in \(X_{L^{\mathrm{per}}_0}\), then a translate of \(X\) by an element of \(A(L^{\mathrm{per}}_0)\) is defined over \(L_0\).