Kobayashi–Ochiai proved that the set of dominant maps from a fixed variety to a fixed variety of general type is finite. We prove the natural extension of their finiteness theorem to Campana’s orbifold pairs.

We prove some $\ell $-independence results on local constancy of étale cohomology of rigid analytic varieties. As a result, we show that a closed subscheme of a proper scheme over an algebraically closed complete non-archimedean field has a small open neighbourhood in the analytic topology such that, for every prime number $\ell $ different from the residue characteristic, the closed subscheme and the open neighbourhood have the same étale cohomology with ${\mathbb Z}/\ell {\mathbb Z}$-coefficients. The existence of such an open neighbourhood for each $\ell $ was proved by Huber. A key ingredient in the proof is a uniform refinement of a theorem of Orgogozo on the compatibility of the nearby cycles over general bases with base change.

We study the Betti map of a particular (but relevant) section of the family of Jacobians of hyperelliptic curves using the polynomial Pell equation $A^2-DB^2=1$, with $A,B,D\in \mathbb {C}[t]$ and certain ramified covers $\mathbb {P}^1\to \mathbb {P}^1$ arising from such equation and having heavy constrains on their ramification. In particular, we obtain a special case of a result of André, Corvaja and Zannier on the submersivity of the Betti map by studying the locus of the polynomials D that fit in a Pell equation inside the space of polynomials of fixed even degree. Moreover, Riemann existence theorem associates to the abovementioned covers certain permutation representations: We are able to characterize the representations corresponding to ‘primitive’ solutions of the Pell equation or to powers of solutions of lower degree and give a combinatorial description of these representations when D has degree 4. In turn, this characterization gives back some precise information about the rational values of the Betti map.

Soient $S$ un schéma nœthérien et $f:X\rightarrow S$ un morphisme propre. D’après SGA 4 XIV, pour tout faisceau constructible $\mathscr{F}$ de $\mathbb{Z}/n\mathbb{Z}$-modules sur $X$, les faisceaux de $\mathbb{Z}/n\mathbb{Z}$-modules $\mathtt{R}^{i}f_{\star }\mathscr{F}$, obtenus par image directe (pour la topologie étale), sont également constructibles : il existe une stratification $\mathfrak{S}$ de $S$ telle que ces faisceaux soient localement constants constructibles sur les strates. À la suite de travaux de N. Katz et G. Laumon, ou L. Illusie, dans le cas particulier où $S$ est génériquement de caractéristique nulle ou bien les faisceaux $\mathscr{F}$ sont constants (de torsion inversible sur $S$), on étudie ici la dépendance de $\mathfrak{S}$ en $\mathscr{F}$. On montre qu’une condition naturelle de constructibilité et modération « uniforme » satisfaite par les faisceaux constants, introduite par O. Gabber, est stable par les foncteurs $\mathtt{R}^{i}f_{\star }$. Si $f$ n’est pas supposé propre, ce résultat subsiste sous réserve de modération à l’infini, relativement à $S$. On démontre aussi l’existence de bornes uniformes sur les nombres de Betti, qui s’appliquent notamment pour les fibres des faisceaux $\mathtt{R}^{i}f_{\star }\mathbb{F}_{\ell }$, où $\ell$ parcourt les nombres premiers inversibles sur $S$.

Using the Stückrad–Vogel self-intersection cycle of an irreducible and reduced curve in pro-jective space, we obtain a formula that relates the degree of the secant variety, the degree and the genus of the curve and the self-intersection numbers, the multiplicities and the number of branches of the curve at its singular points. From this formula we deduce an expression for the difference between the genera of the curve. This result shows that the self-intersection multiplicity of a curve in projective N-space at a singular point is a natural generalization of the intersection multiplicity of a plane curve with its generic polar curve. In this approach, the degree of the secant variety (up to a factor 2), the self-intersection numbers and the multiplicities of the singular points are leading coefficients of a bivariate Hilbert polynomial, which can be computed by computer algebra systems.