Does there exist a smooth irreducible variety $X/\mathbb{C}$ such that $\mathrm{Pic}(X)$ is finite and non-zero?
2026-05-16 16:17:24.1778948244
smooth irreducible variety with finite (non-zero) Picard group?
416 Views Asked by Bumbble Comm https://math.techqa.club/user/bumbble-comm/detail At
1
Yes: take $\mathbb{P}^2_\mathbb{C}-V(f)$, with $f$ degree $d$. Then, this is smooth and irreducible and has Picard group $\mathbb{Z}/d\mathbb{Z}$.
This is not true if you require $X$ to be projective, then $\mathrm{Pic}(X)$ contains $\mathbb{Z}$ if it's non-zero.
EDIT(Explaining what happens if $X$ is projective): Suppose that $X$ is not affine, and so not $\text{Spec}(\mathbb{C})$ (I'm assuming $X$ is integral, just for convenience). Then, there is a very ample line bundle $\mathcal{O}(1)\in\mathrm{Pic}(X)$. But, any power of $\mathcal{O}(1)$ is still very ample, and since $X$ is not $\text{Spec}(\mathbb{C})$, $\mathcal{O}_X$ can't be very ample. So, $\mathcal{O}(1)$ can't be torsion. So, we see that $\mathbb{Z}\subseteq\mathrm{Pic}(X)$.
In fact, you can say more. I'm going to restrict to the case of $X$ a (smooth projective integral) curve, purely for convenience again. Then, we know that $\text{Pic}^0(X)$ are the $\mathbb{C}$-points of an abelian variety (the Jacobian) of dimension $g=\text{genus}(X)$. So, if $X\ne\mathbb{P}^1$, then $\mathrm{Pic}(X)$ is uncountable.