CONGLING QIU

Let X be a smooth connected projective variety of dimension n over a field K ⊂ C. Let D

be an ample divisor on X.

1. Hodge–Riemann bilinear relations

Assume that K = C. Let cl(D) ∈ H 2 (X, Z) be the cycle class of D. Let 2d − 1 < n be an
odd positive integer. Then the pairing
 
hx, yi := deg x ∪ cl(D)n−(2d−1) ∪ y

on H 2d−1 (X, Z) is skew-symmetric. Let e1 , ..., eh , f1 , ..., fh be a standard symplectic basis (i.e.,
hei , ej i = hfi , fj i = 0 and hei , fj i = δij ) of H 2d−1 (X, R), where h = 21 dim H 2d−1 (X, R). Then
for
Xh h
X Xh h
X
0 0
ω= ai ei + bi fi and ω = ai ei + b0i fi ∈ H 2d−1 (X, C),
i=1 i=1 i=1 i=1

hω, ω 0 i = (a1 , ..., ah , b1 , ..., bg )J(a01 , ..., a0h , b01 , ..., b0g )t .
Let ω1 , ..., ωh be a basis of F d H 2d−1 (X, C). Then there exists h × h-matrices A, B over C such
that
(ω1 , ..., ωh )t = (A | B)(e1 , ..., eh , f1 , ..., fh )t .
Proposition 1.0.1. (1) The matrix A is invertible.
(2) Let C = A−1 B. Then its imaginary part Im(C) is invertible.
Proof. Replacing ω1 , ..., ωh by another basis amounts to multiplying (A | B) by an invertible
h × h-matrix on the left. Thus for each of (1) and (2), it is enough to prove it for an arbitrary
basis.
(1) Let
M M
H+ = H 2d−1−p,p (X, C) and H − = H 2d−1−p,p (X, C),
even p<d odd p<d

whose dimensions are h+ , h− respectively. Choose the basis ω1 , ..., ωh such that ω1 , ..., ωh+ ∈ H +
and ωh+ +1 , ..., ωh ∈ H − . Then accordingly, there exist h+ × h-matrices A+ , B + and there exists
h− × h-matrices A− , B − such that
 +  +
A B
A= −
, B=
A B−
1
2 CONGLING QIU

First, we prove that A± is of full rank. Indeed, the second Hodge–Riemann bilinear relation
±
implies that for every row vector v ∈ Ch nonzero,
√ 
±,t ±,t

(1.1) ± ( −1)2d−1 v A± B − B ± A v t > 0.
± ±,t
If A± is not of full rank, there exists v ∈ Ch nonzero such that vA± = 0 and so that A v t = 0,
contradiction.
Now we only need to prove that the row spaces of A+ and A− have intersection {0}. Indeed,
±
let v ± ∈ Ch be nonzero such that v + A+ = v − A− . Since the second Hodge–Riemann bilinear
+,t −,t
relation implies that A− B − B + A = 0,
   
+,t +,t +,t −,t
v + A+ B − B + A v +,t = v − A− B − B + A v −,t = 0.
This is a contradiction to (1.1).
(2) Choose the basis ω1 , ..., ωh such that A = 1. The second Hodge–Riemann bilinear relations
implies that
W (C − C) > 0
where W is the invertible
√ h × h-matrix given by the Weil operator. So W (C − C) and thus
Im(C) = (C − C)/(2 −1) is invertible. 

2. Hodge–Riemann bilinear relations

Let P ⊂ C be the ring of periods. Let K be a number field. Let Z be a cohomologically trivial
algebraic cycle on X of codimension d with support |Z|. Recall that we have the following part
of the Gysin sequence for algebraic de Rham cohomology
2d−1 dR 2d
HdR (X\|Z|) → H2n−2d (|Z|) → HdR (X)
(see [2, Theorem 8.3] and [3, p 40, (3.3) (3.4)]), preserving the Hodge filtrations. Let ωZ ∈
2d−1
F d HdR (X\|Z|) whose image is the class of Z in H2n−2d dR (|Z|). Let ω1 , ..., ωh be a basis of
d 2d−1
F HdR (X). Fix an embedding ι : K ,→ C. Abusing notation, we still denote the base changes
Xι , ω1,ι , ..., ωh,ι by X, ω1 , ..., ωh and use the above notations. Then A, B ∈ Mh (P). Let
(η1 , ..., ηh )t = A−1 (ω1 , ..., ωh ).
2d−1
Then ηi ∈ F d HdR (X) ⊗K K[det A−1 ] and
(η1 , ..., ηh )t = (1 | C)(e1 , ..., eh , f1 , ..., fh )t .
Let e∨
i ∈ H2d−1 (X, Z) whose Poincaré dual form is cl(D)
n−(2d−1) ∪ f . Then
i
Z   Z
ej = deg ej ∪ cl(D)n−(2d−1) ∪ fi = δi,j , fj = 0.
e∨
i e∨
i

Let
h Z
!
X
ωZ0 = ωZ − ωZ 2d−1
ηi ∈ F d HdR (X\|Z|) ⊗K P[det A−1 ].
i=1 e∨
i

Then Z
ωZ0 = 0.
e∨
i
 LINEARITY AND UNLIKELY INTERSECTION 3

Let fi∨ ∈ H2d−1 (X, Z) whose Poincaré dual form is cl(D)n−(2d−1) ∪ ei . Then
Z   Z
fj = deg fj ∪ cl(D)n−(2d−1) ∪ ei = −δi,j , ej = 0.
fi∨ fi∨
Let Z Z !
(c1 , ..., ch ) = −Re ωZ0 , ..., ωZ0 Im(C)−1 .
f1∨ fh∨

Then ci ∈ P[det A−1 , det Im(C)−1 ]. Let

h
√ X
ωZ00 = ωZ0 + −1 2d−1
ci ηi ∈ F d HdR (X\|Z|) ⊗K P[det A−1 , det Im(C)−1 ].
i=1
Lemma 2.0.1. The form ωZ00 is an admissible integral of Z in the sense of [1, (3.3.5)].
Proof. We only need to check condition (i) of [1, (3.3.5)]. First,
! !
√
Z Z Z Z
ωZ00 , ..., ωZ00 = Re ωZ0 , ..., ωZ0 + Re −1(c1 , ..., ch )C


Re
f1∨ fh∨ f1∨ fh∨
!
√ √


Z Z
= Re ωZ0 , ..., ωZ0 + −Re −1(c1 , ..., ch )Im(C) −1
f1∨ fh∨
Z Z !
= Re ωZ0 , ..., ωZ0 + (c1 , ..., ch )Im(C)
f1∨ fh∨
= 0.
Second,
h
!
√
Z Z X
ωZ00 = ωZ0 + −1 ci ηi
e∨
j e∨
j i=1
h
√ X Z
=0+ −1 ci ηi
i=1 e∨
j
√ √
= −1cj ∈ −1R
We are done. 
Theorem 2.0.2. Let Y be a cohomologically trivial algebraic cycle on X of dimension d − 1
with support |Y | disjoint from |Z|, then at ι, the archimedean height pairing
hY, Ziι ∈ P[det A−1 , det Im(C)−1 ].
Proof. Since Y ∩ (X\|Z|) is a cohomologically trivial algebraic cycle on X\|Z|, there exists a
smooth 2d − 1-chain ΓY on X\|Z| with boundary Y . (Regarded as a smooth 2d − 1-chain on X,
sing
ΓY still has boundary Y , as required in [1].) Then ΓY defines a class in H2d−1 (X\|Z|, |Y |, Q). By
[1, (3.3.7)(3.3.12)] (where the normalization of the archimedean height pairing differents from
ours by 2), Z
1
hY, Ziι = Re ωZ00 ∈ P[det A−1 , det Im(C)−1 ].
2 ΓY
4 CONGLING QIU

2d−1
Here, the “∈” follows by understanding ωZ00 as in F d HdR (X\|Z|, |Y |)⊗K P[det A−1 , det Im(C)−1 ]
00
(since ωZ ||Y | = 0 by dimension reason). 

References
[1] Hain, Richard. Biextensions and heights associated to curves of odd genus. Duke Mathematical Journal 61.3
(1990): 859-898.
[2] Hartshorne, Robin. Ample subvarieties of algebraic varieties. Vol. 156. Springer, 2006.
[3] Hartshorne, Robin. On the De Rham cohomology of algebraic varieties. Publications Mathématiques de
l’IHÉS 45 (1975): 5-99.
[4] Kontsevich, Maxim, and Don Zagier. Periods. Mathematics unlimited–2001 and beyond. Springer, Berlin,
Heidelberg, 2001. 771-808.