Relative canonical model explained
In the mathematical field of algebraic geometry, the relative canonical model of a singular variety of a mathematical object where
is a particular
canonical variety that maps to
, which simplifies the structure.
Description
The precise definition is:
If
is a
resolution define the adjunction sequence to be the sequence of subsheaves
if
is invertible
where
is the higher adjunction ideal. Problem. Is
finitely generated? If this is true then
is called the
relative canonical model of
, or the
canonical blow-up of
.
Some basic properties were as follows:The relative canonical model was independent of the choice of resolution. Some integer multiple
of the canonical divisor of the relative canonical model was Cartier and the number of exceptional components where this agrees with the same multiple of the canonical divisor of Y is also independent of the choice of Y. When it equals the number of components of Y it was called
crepant.
[1] It was not known whether relative canonical models were
Cohen–Macaulay.
Because the relative canonical model is independent of
, most authors simplify the terminology, referring to it as the relative canonical model
of
rather than either the relative canonical model
of
or the canonical blow-up of
. The class of varieties that are relative canonical models have
canonical singularities. Since that time in the 1970s other mathematicians solved affirmatively the problem of whether they are Cohen - Macaulay. The
minimal model program started by
Shigefumi Mori proved that the sheaf in the definition always is finitely generated and therefore that relative canonical models always exist.
Notes and References
- M. Reid, Canonical 3-folds (courtesy copy), proceedings of the Angiers 'Journees de Geometrie Algebrique' 1979