Algebraic Cycles, Fundamental Group of a Punctured Curve, and Applications in Arithmetic

Abstract: The results of this paper can be divided into two parts, geometric and arithmetic. Let $X$ be a smooth projective curve over $\mathbb{C}$, and $e,\infty\in X(\mathbb{C})$ be distinct points. Let $L_n$ be the mixed Hodge structure of functions on $\pi_1(X-{\infty},e)$ given by iterated integrals of length $\leq n$ (as defined by Hain). In the geometric part, inspired by a work of Darmon, Rotger, and Sols, we express the mixed Hodge extension $\mathbb{E}^\infty_{n,e}$ given by the weight filtration on $\frac{L_n}{L_{n-2}}$ in terms of certain null-homologous algebraic cycles on $X^{2n-1}$. As a corollary, we show that the extension $\mathbb{E}^\infty_{n,e}$ determines the point $\infty\in X-{e}$. The arithmetic part of the paper gives some number-theoretic applications of the geometric part. We assume that $X=X_0\otimes_K\mathbb{C}$ and $e,\infty\in X_0(K)$, where $K$ is a subfield of $\mathbb{C}$ and $X_0$ is a projective curve over $K$. Let $Jac$ be the Jacobian of $X_0$. We use the extension $\mathbb{E}^\infty_{n,e}$ to associate to each $Z\in CH_{n-1}(X_0^{2n-2})$ a point $P_Z\in Jac(K)$, which can be described analytically in terms of iterated integrals. The proof of $K$-rationality of $P_Z$ uses that the algebraic cycles constructed in the geometric part of the paper are defined over $K$. Assuming a certain plausible hypothesis on the Hodge filtration on $L_n(X-{\infty},e)$ holds, we show that an algebraic cycle $Z$ for which $P_Z$ is torsion, gives rise to relations between periods of $L_2(X-{\infty},e)$. Interestingly, these relations are non-trivial even when one takes $Z$ to be the diagonal of $X_0$. The geometric result of the paper in $n=2$ case, and the fact that one can associate to $\mathbb{E}^\infty_{2,e}$ a family of points in $Jac(K)$, are due to Darmon, Rotger, and Sols. Our contribution is in generalizing the picture to higher weights.