Zeta Functions of Curves with no Rational Points

Abstract

We show that the motivic zeta functions of smooth, geometrically connected curves with no rational points are rational functions. This was previously known only for curves whose smooth projective models have a rational point on each connected component. In the course of the proof we study the class of a Severi-Brauer scheme over a general base in the Grothendieck ring of varieties.

12 pages, comments welcome