Complete families of linearly non-degenerate rational curves

We prove that a complete family of linearly non-degenerate rational curves of degree $e > 2$ in $\mathbb{P}^n$ has at most $n-1$ moduli. For $e = 2$ we prove that such a family has at most $n$ moduli. It is unknown whether or not this is the best possible result. The general method involves exhibiting a map from the base of a family $X$ to the Grassmaninian of $e$-planes in $\mathbb{P}^n$ and analyzing the resulting map on cohomology.Comment: 14 page

An effective criterion for Eulerian multizeta values in positive characteristic

Characteristic p multizeta values were initially studied by Thakur, who defined them as analogues of classical multiple zeta values of Euler. In the present paper we establish an effective criterion for Eulerian multizeta values, which characterizes when a multizeta value is a rational multiple of a power of the Carlitz period. The resulting "t-motivic" algorithm can tell whether any given multizeta value is Eulerian or not. We also prove that if zeta_A(s_1,...,s_r) is Eulerian, then zeta_A(s_2,...,s_r) has to be Eulerian. When r=2, this was conjectured (and later on conjectured for arbitrary r) by Lara Rodriguez and Thakur for the zeta-like case from numerical data. Our methods apply equally well to values of Carlitz multiple polylogarithms at algebraic points and zeta-like multizeta values.Comment: 32 page

Frobenius difference equations and algebraic independence of zeta values in positive equal characteristic

In analogy with the Riemann zeta function at positive integers, for each finite field F_p^r with fixed characteristic p we consider Carlitz zeta values zeta_r(n) at positive integers n. Our theorem asserts that among the zeta values in {zeta_r(1), zeta_r(2), zeta_r(3), ... | r = 1, 2, 3, ...}, all the algebraic relations are those algebraic relations within each individual family {zeta_r(1), zeta_r(2), zeta_r(3), ...}. These are the algebraic relations coming from the Euler-Carlitz relations and the Frobenius relations. To prove this, a motivic method for extracting algebraic independence results from systems of Frobenius difference equations is developed.Comment: 14 page