On the Geometry of Principal Homogeneous Spaces

Abstract

Let $B$ be a curve defined over an algebraically closed field $k$ and let $X\to B$ be an elliptic surface with base curve $B$. We investigate the geometry of everywhere locally trivial principal homogeneous spaces for $X$, i.e. elements of the Tate-Shafarevich group. If $Y$ is such a principal homogeneous space of order $n$, we find strong restrictions on the ${\mathbb{P}}^{n-1}$ bundle over $B$ into which $Y$ embeds. Examples for small values of $n$ show that, in at least some cases, these restrictions are sharp. Finally, we determine these bundles in case $k$ has characteristic zero, $B={\mathbb{P}}^1$, and $X$ is generic in a suitable sense.

49 pages