Paul Vojta

Arithmetic Geometry can be defined as the part of Algebraic Geometry connected with the study of algebraic varieties through arbitrary rings, in particular through non-algebraically closed fields. It lies at the intersection between classical algebraic geometry and number theory. A C. I. M. E. Summer School devoted to arithmetic geometry was held in Cetraro, Italy in September 2007, and presented some of the most interesting new developments in arithmetic geometry. This book collects the lecture notes which were written up by the speakers. The main topics concern diophantine equations, local-global principles, diophantine approximation and its relations to Nevanlinna theory, and rationally connected varieties. The book is divided into three parts, corresponding to the courses given by J-L Colliot-Thelene, Peter Swinnerton Dyer and Paul Vojta.

This volume contains three long lecture series by J. L. Colliot-Thelene, Kazuya Kato and P. Vojta. Their topics are respectively the connection between algebraic K-theory and the torsion algebraic cycles on an algebraic variety, a new approach to Iwasawa theory for Hasse-Weil L-function, and the applications of arithemetic geometry to Diophantine approximation. They contain many new results at a very advanced level, but also surveys of the state of the art on the subject with complete, detailed profs and a lot of background. Hence they can be useful to readers with very different background and experience. CONTENTS: J. L. Colliot-Thelene: Cycles algebriques de torsion et K-theorie algebrique.- K. Kato: Lectures on the approach to Iwasawa theory for Hasse-Weil L-functions.- P. Vojta: Applications of arithmetic algebraic geometry to diophantine approximations.