Characteristic Epsilon Cycles of $\ell$-adic Sheaves on Varieties

Abstract

Let $X$ be a smooth variety over a finite field $\mathbb{F}_q$. Let $\ell$ be a rational prime number invertible in $\mathbb{F}_q$. For an $\ell$-adic sheaf $\mathcal{F}$ on $X$, we construct a cycle supported on the singular support of $\mathcal{F}$ whose coefficients are $\ell$-adic numbers modulo roots of unity. It is a refinement of the characteristic cycle $CC(\mathcal{F})$, in the sense that it satisfies a Milnor-type formula for local epsilon factors. After establishing fundamental results on the cycles, we prove a product formula of global epsilon factors modulo roots of unity. We also give a generalization of the results to varieties over general perfect fields.