On the Kawamata-Viehweg vanishing theorem for log del Pezzo surfaces in positive characteristic

Abstract

We prove the Kawamata-Viehweg vanishing theorem for surfaces of del Pezzo type over perfect fields of positive characteristic $p>5$. As a consequence, we show that klt threefold singularities over a perfect base field of characteristic $p>5$ are rational. We show that these theorems are sharp by providing counterexamples in characteristic $5$.

arXiv comment18 pages, 2 figures. Updates: typos fixed, minor corrections and added figures. Title changed. To appear in Compos. Math