Rational points on quartics

The weak Lang conjecture asserts that if \(X\) is a variety of general type defined over a number field \(K\), then the set \(X(K)\) of \(K\)-rational points of \(X\) is not Zariski dense. The conjecture can be considered as a possible extension of Faltings' theorem for higher dimensions. The authors consider the converse of this statement. It is an easy remark that the converse of the weak Lang conjecture, as it stands, is no true. So one needs a modification. The authors state the following conjecture: Let \(X\) be a smooth, connected projective variety defined over a number field \(K\). If the canonical bundle \(K_X\) of \(X\) is negative, then for some finite extension \(K'\) of \(K\) the set \(X(K')\) of \(K'\)-rational points of \(X\) is Zariski dense. The conjecture is true for curves and surfaces. Here it has been proven for a class of Fano 3-folds, namely the smooth quartic hypersurfaces in \(\mathbb{P}^4\). The result is a straightforward corollary of the following result about quartic surfaces: Theorem. Let \(S\subset \mathbb{P}^3\) be a smooth quartic surface defined over a number field \(K\) and let \(L\) be a line in \(\mathbb{P}^3\) contained in \(S\), likewise defined over \(K\). Then (a) for some finite extension \(K'\) of \(K\) the set \(S(K')\) of \(K'\)-rational points of \(S\) is Zariski dense, and (b) if we assume further that \(L\) does not meet six or more other lines contained in \(S\), then in fact the set \(S(K)\) of \(K\)-rational points of \(S\) is Zariski dense. In the mean time the result (a) of the theorem is a special case of the results of \textit{F. A. Bogomolov} and \textit{Yu. Tschinkel} [Asian J. Math. 4, 351-368 (2000; Zbl 0983.14003)]. The Fermat quartic is considered as a special example.

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