English

Normal subgroups in the Cremona group (long version)

Algebraic Geometry 2018-04-24 v2 Group Theory

Abstract

Let k be an algebraically closed field. We show that the Cremona group of all birational transformations of the projective plane P^2 over k is not a simple group. The strategy makes use of hyperbolic geometry, geometric group theory, and algebraic geometry to produce elements in the Cremona group that generate non trivial normal subgroups.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1007.0895,
  title  = {Normal subgroups in the Cremona group (long version)},
  author = {Serge Cantat and Stéphane Lamy},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1007.0895},
  year   = {2018}
}

Comments

With an appendix by Yves de Cornulier. Numerous but minors corrections were made, regarding proofs, references and terminology. This long version contains detailled proofs of several technical lemmas about hyperbolic spaces

R2 v1 2026-06-21T15:44:57.614Z