arXiv subjects

Olivier Benoist

Publications and source records attributed to Olivier Benoist.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

The Wu relations in real algebraic geometry

We construct and study relations between Chern classes and Galois cohomology classes in the Gal(C/R)-equivariant cohomology of real algebraic varieties with no real points. We give applications to the topology of their sets of complex points, and to sums of squares problems. In particular, we show that -1 is a sum of 2 squares in the function field of any smooth projective real algebraic surface with no real points and with vanishing geometric genus, as well as higher-dimensional generalizations of this result.

math.AG↗

arXiv2026

Étale cohomology of Stein algebras

We prove that the singular cohomology with finite coefficients of a finite-dimensional Stein space $S$ is isomorphic to the étale cohomology of the Stein algebra $\mathcal{O}(S)$. We deduce that any class in $H^k(S,\mathbb{Z})$ comes from an algebraic variety by pullback by a holomorphic map (if $k\geq 1$), and vanishes on the complement of a nowhere dense closed analytic subset of $S$ (if $k\geq 2$).

math.CV↗

arXiv2026

On the rationality of some real threefolds

We study the rationality of some geometrically rational three-dimensional conic and quadric surface bundles, defined over the reals and more general real closed fields, for which the real locus is connected and the intermediate Jacobian obstructions to rationality vanish. We obtain both negative and positive results, using unramified cohomology and birational rigidity techniques, as well as concrete rationality constructions.

math.AG↗

arXiv2026

Stein spaces and Stein algebras

We prove that the category of Stein spaces and holomorphic maps is anti-equivalent to the category of Stein algebras and $\mathbb{C}$-algebra morphisms. This removes a finite dimensionality hypothesis from a theorem of Forster.

math.CV↗

arXiv2026

The Brauer group of a Stein algebra

We investigate the Brauer group of the ring $\mathcal{O}(S)$ of holomorphic functions on a finite-dimensional Stein space S. We provide a purely topological computation of this group and deduce a comparison theorem between the étale cohomology of $\textrm{Spec}(\mathcal{O}(S))$ and the singular cohomology of S in degree 2. Furthermore, we prove a purity theorem when S is nonsingular and study the index of classes in the Brauer group of $\mathcal{O}(S)$.

math.AG↗

arXiv2026

On the birational geometry of the parameter space for codimension 2 complete intersections

Codimension 2 complete intersections in P^N have a natural parameter space \bar{H}: a projective bundle over a projective space given by the choice of the lower degree equation and of the higher degree equation up to a multiple of the first. Motivated by the question of existence of complete families of smooth complete intersections, we study the birational geometry of \bar{H}. In a first part, we show that the first contraction of the MMP for \bar{H} always exists and we describe it. Then, we show that it is possible to run the full MMP for \bar{H}, and we describe it, in two degenerate cases. As an application, we prove the existence of complete curves in the punctual Hilbert scheme of complete intersection subschemes of A^2.

math.AG↗

arXiv2026

The resultant divisor is negative

Fix two integers $1\leq d<e$. We study the birational geometry of a parameter space for pairs of homogeneous polynomials of degrees $d$ and $e$ in two variables (in which the higher degree polynomial is well defined only up to a multiple of the lower degree polynomial). We show that one can run the MMP on this space, and that it eventually contracts the resultant divisor.

math.AG↗

arXiv2025

Intermediate Jacobians and rationality over arbitrary fields

We prove that a three-dimensional smooth complete intersection of two quadrics over a field k is k-rational if and only if it contains a line defined over k. To do so, we develop a theory of intermediate Jacobians for geometrically rational threefolds over arbitrary, not necessarily perfect, fields. As a consequence, we obtain the first examples of smooth projective varieties over a field k which have a k-point, and are rational over a purely inseparable field extension of k, but not over k.

math.AG↗

arXiv2025

On the field of meromorphic functions on a Stein surface

We prove that fields of meromorphic functions on Stein surfaces have cohomological dimension 2, and solve the period-index problem and Serre's conjecture II for these fields. We obtain analogous results for fields of real meromorphic functions on Stein surfaces equipped with an antiholomorphic involution. We deduce an optimal quantitative solution to Hilbert's 17th problem on analytic surfaces.

math.AG↗

arXiv2025

Tight approximation for rationally simply connected varieties

We prove that holomorphic maps from an open subset of a complex smooth projective curve to a complex smooth projective rationally simply connected variety can be approximated by algebraic maps for the compact-open topology. This theorem can be applied in particular when the target is a smooth hypersurface of degree d in P^n with n greater than or equal to d^2-1. We deduce it from a more general result: the tight approximation property holds for rationally simply connected varieties over function fields of complex curves.

math.AG↗

arXiv2025

The Pythagoras number of fields of transcendence degree $1$ over $\mathbb{Q}$

We show that any sum of squares in a field of transcendence degree $1$ over $\mathbb{Q}$ is a sum of $5$ squares, answering a question of Pop and Pfister. We deduce this result from a representation theorem, in $k(C)$, for quadratic forms of rank $\geq 5$ with coefficients in $k$, where $C$ is a curve over a number field $k$.

math.AG↗

arXiv2025

On the Artin vanishing theorem for Stein spaces

Artin vanishing theorems for Stein spaces refer to the vanishing of some of their (co)homology groups in degrees higher than the dimension. We obtain new positive and negative results concerning Artin vanishing for the cohomology of a Stein space relative to a Runge open subset. We also prove an Artin vanishing theorem for the Gal(C/R)-equivariant cohomology of a Gal(C/R)-equivariant Stein space relative to the fixed locus.

math.CV↗

arXiv2025

Étale cohomology of algebraic varieties over Stein compacta

We prove a comparison theorem between the étale cohomology of algebraic varieties over Stein compacta and the singular cohomology of their analytifications. We deduce that the field of meromorphic functions in a neighborhood of a connected Stein compact subset of a normal complex space of dimension $n$ has cohomological dimension $n$. As an application of $\textrm{Gal}(\mathbb{C}/\mathbb{R})$-equivariant variants of these results, we obtain a quantitative version of Hilbert's 17th problem on compact subsets of real-analytic spaces.

math.AG↗

arXiv2024

On the smoothability problem with rational coefficients

We consider the problem of smoothing algebraic cycles with rational coefficients on smooth projective complex varieties up to homological equivalence. We show that a solution to this problem would be incompatible with the validity of the Hartshorne conjecture on complete intersections in projective space. We also solve unconditionally a symplectic variant of this problem.

math.AG↗

arXiv2024

Smoothing low-dimensional algebraic cycles [after Kollár and Voisin]

Let $X$ be a smooth projective complex algebraic variety. An old question of Borel and Haefliger asks whether any (possibly singular) algebraic subvariety of $X$ is homologically equivalent to a linear combination with integral coefficients of smooth algebraic subvarieties of $X$. In general, this question is too optimistic, and counterexamples have been known for a long time. The aim of this survey is to explain how János Kollár and Claire Voisin have provided a positive answer to Borel and Haefliger's question, for subvarieties of dimension less than half the dimension of $X$.

math.AG↗

arXiv2024

Steenrod operations and algebraic classes

Based on a relative Wu theorem in étale cohomology, we study the compatibility of Steenrod operations on Chow groups and on étale cohomology. Using the resulting obstructions to algebraicity, we construct new examples of non-algebraic cohomology classes over various fields ($\mathbb{C}$, $\mathbb{R}$, $\overline{\mathbb{F}}_p$, $\mathbb{F}_q$). We also use Steenrod operations to study the mod $2$ cohomology classes of a compact $\mathcal{C}^{\infty}$ manifold $M$ that are algebraizable, i.e. algebraic on some real algebraic model of $M$. We give new examples of algebraizable and non-algebraizable classes, answering questions of Benedetti, Dedò and Kucharz.

math.AG↗

arXiv2023

Smooth subvarieties of Jacobians

We give new examples of algebraic integral cohomology classes on smooth projective complex varieties that are not integral linear combinations of classes of smooth subvarieties. Some of our examples have dimension 6, the lowest possible. The classes that we consider are minimal cohomology classes on Jacobians of very general curves. Our main tool is complex cobordism.

math.AG↗

arXiv2022

On the subvarieties with nonsingular real loci of a real algebraic variety

Let $X$ be a smooth projective real algebraic variety. We give new positive and negative results on the problem of approximating a submanifold of the real locus of $X$ by real loci of subvarieties of $X$, as well as on the problem of determining the subgroups of the Chow groups of $X$ generated by subvarieties with nonsingular real loci, or with empty real loci.

math.AG↗