VARIATION OF CANONICAL HEIGHTS OF SUBVARIETIES FOR

POLARIZED ENDOMORPHISMS
by
Thomas Gauthier & Gabriel Vigny

Abstract. — When an endomorphism f : X → X of a projective variety which is polar-

ized by an ample line bundle L, i.e. such that f ∗ L ≃ L⊗d with d ≥ 2, is defined over a
arXiv:2307.11243v1 [math.NT] 20 Jul 2023

number field, Call and Silverman defined a canonical height b hf for f . In a family (X, f, L)
parametrized by a curve S together with a section P : S → X, they show that b hft (P (t))/h(t)
converges to the height b
hfη (Pη ) on the generic fiber.
In the present paper, we prove the equivalent statement when studying the variation of
canonical heights of subvarieties Yt varying in a family Y of any relative dimension.

1. Introduction
A family (X, f, L) of polarized endomorphisms parametrized by a smooth projective
curve S over a field k of characteristic 0 is a family π : X → S of projective k-varieties
which is normal and flat over a Zariski open subset S 0 of S, a rational map f : X 99K X
which is regular over S 0 and a relatively ample line bundle L on X, such that for each
t ∈ S 0 , if Xt := π −1 {t} is the fiber of π over t, Lt := L|Xt and ft := f|Xt , then (Xt , ft , Lt )
is a polarized endomorphism, i.e. there is an integer d ≥ 2 such that ft∗ Lt ≃ L⊗d t . When
S and (X, f, L) are defined over a number field K, given a parameter t ∈ S 0 (Q̄), one want
to relate the arithmetic complexity of t, the dynamical complexity of the corresponding
map ft and the dynamical complexity of the family f. This can be done using the theory
of heights.
For a polarized endomorphism (X, f, L) defined over a product formula field K, let hX,L
be the standard Weil height function on X(K̄), relative to L. Call and Silverman [CS]
defined the canonical height b hf : X(K̄) → R+ of the endomorphism f as
b 1
hf = lim n hX,L ◦ f n .
n→∞ d
Assume that X is defined over the function field of characteristic zero K := K(S) where K
is a number field and S is a smooth projective K-curve. To the polarized endomorphism
(X, f, L) we associate a model (X, f, L) over S, i.e. a family of polarized endomorphisms
(X, f, L) parametrized by S such that, if η is the generic point of S, then (X, f, L) is
isomorphic to (Xη , fη , Lη ) where Xη is the generic fiber of π : X → S, fη := f|Xη and
Lη := L|Xη .
Endow S with an ample Q-line bundle and take P ∈ X(K), P can be thought of as a
function S → X. In that setting, we have the canonical height b hfη (Pη ) which describes
the arithmetic complexity of the orbit Orbfη (P ) = (fηn (Pη ))n over K(S) and, given a

The first author is partially supported by the Institut Universitaire de France. The second author is
partially supported by the ANR QuaSiDy /ANR-21- CE40-0016.
2 THOMAS GAUTHIER & GABRIEL VIGNY

parameter t ∈ Q̄, the naive height hS (t) which describes the arithmetic complexity of t,
and the canonical height b hft (P (t)) which describes the arithmetic complexity of the orbit
Orbft (P (t)) = (ftn (P (t))n over Q̄. In that setting, Call and Silverman [CS, Theorem 4.1]
proved :
b
hft (P (t)) b
(1) lim = hfη (Pη ).
hS (t)→∞ hS (t)
t∈S 0 (Q̄)

In the particular case where X = P1 (K) and f is a polynomial map, Ingram [Ing1]
improved (1) by showing there is an effective Q-divisor D(f, P ) on S of degree b hfη (Pη ) such
b
that hft (P (t)) = hD(f,P ) (t) + Of,P,S (1) (see also Tate [T] for the case of families of elliptic
curves) and finally the first author and Favre showed in [FG] that the height function
b
hft (P (t)) is induced by a continuous adelic metrization of the line bundle O(D(f, P )).
Very recently, Ingram also improved (1) in [Ing2] saving a power in the error term.
Nevertheless, when the relative dimension of X is at least 2, it can be useful to consider
the canonical height of fibers of a subvariety Y ( X with π(Y) = S of positive relative
dimension. Indeed, generalizing the 1-dimensional theory [MSS, Ly], Berteloot, Bianchi
and Dupont [BBD] showed that bifurcations in a complex family of endomorphisms of the
projective space Pk are caused by the unstability of the critical set (which has codimension
1), and the authors of op. cit., following DeMarco [DeM] in dimension 1, defined a
bifurcation current which gives a measurable meaning to bifurcations. The authors showed
in [GV] that, in the case of an algebraic family of endomorphisms of the projective space
Pk , the mass of this current is actually the canonical height of the critical divisor.

Here is the main result of this article.

Main Theorem. — Let (X, f, L) be a family of polarized endomorphisms over S and let
Y ( X be an irreducible subvariety such that π(Y) = S, all defined over a number field
K. For any Q-ample height hS on S of degree 1, we have
b
hft (Yt ) b
lim = hfη (Yη ),
hS (t)→∞ hS (t)
t∈S 0 (Q̄)
Y

0 be the maximal Zariski open subset of S 0 over which π| is flat and projective.
where SY Y

Ingram [Ing3] proved this result when Y = Crit(f ) is the critical locus of the family f
using a different description of the height of a divisor and explicit estimates local.
As an application, observe that if b hfη (Yη ) 6= 0, then, for any integer n, the set of
0
parameters t ∈ S (K) where K is an algebraic extension of Q with [K : Q] ≤ n is finite
by the Northcott property. Note that the preperiodicity of Yt implies b hft (Yt ) = 0 (see
k
e.g. [Zha2]). Recall that an endomorphism ft of P is post-critically finite (PCF for
short) if the critical set is preperiodic, i.e. if there are integers n > m ≥ 0 such that
ftn (Crit(ft )) ⊂ ftm (Crit(ft )). Theorem 1 shows that, when Y = Crit(f ) is the critical
set of a family f of endomorphisms of Pk with b hfη (Yη ) 6= 0 (which means the family is
unstable), there are only finitely many post-critically finite (PCF for short) maps on a
given extension of Q.
 VARIATION OF CANONICAL HEIGHTS 3

Heights can be seen in two different and entangled fashions: by working at all places
which can often gives precise estimates and by the mean of arithmetic or algebraic intersec-
tion theory which is more intrinsic and allows cohomological arguments. The philosophy
of this article is to rely as much as possible on the latter. Our first contribution is a
comparison of the naive height and the canonical height in families directly using [CS]
for sections and using intersection theory for subvarieties of positive relative dimension
(see Proposition 3). In a second time, using the exposition [YZ] of Yuan and Zhang of
the Deligne pairing [Del] of metrized line bundles we deduce the Main Theorem from
Proposition 3 and from the quasi-equivalence of ample heights on curves.

Acknowledgments. — We would like to thank Sébastien Boucksom and Charles Favre

for many useful discussions about Deligne pairings.

2. The canonical height over a number field

2.1. Adelic metrics and their height functions. — Let X be a projective variety
of dimension k, and let L0 , . . . , Lk be Q-line bundles on X, all defined over a number field
K. Assume Li is equipped with an adelic continuous metric {k · kv,i }v∈MK and denote
L̄i := (Li , {k · kv }v∈MK ). Assume L̄i is semi-positive for 1 ≤ i ≤ k. Fix a place v ∈ MK .
Denote by Xvan the Berkovich analytification of X at the place v. We also let c1 (L̄i )v be
the curvature form of the metric k · kv,i on Lan v .
For any closed
subvariety Y of dimension q of X, the arithmetic intersection num-
ber L̄0 · · · L̄q |Y is symmetric and multilinear with
respect to the Li ’s. As observed by
Chambert-Loir [CL], we can define L̄0 · · · L̄q |Y inductively by
X Z ^q


−1
L̄0 · · · L̄q |Y = L̄1 · · · L̄q |div(s) ∩ Y + nv log kskv c1 (L̄i )v ,
v∈MK Yvan j=1

for any global section s ∈ H 0 (X, L0 ) such that the intersection div(s) ∩ Y is proper. In
particular, if L0 is the trivial bundle and k · kv,0 is the trivial metric at all places but v0 ,
this gives
Z q
^

−1
L̄0 · · · L̄q |Y = nv0 log kskv0 ,0 c1 (L̄i )v0 .
Yvan
0 j=1

When L̄ is a big and nef Q-line bundle endowed with a semi-positive continuous adelic
metric, following Zhang [Zha1], we can define hL̄ (Y ) as


L̄q+1 |Y
hL̄ (Y ) := ,
(q + 1)[K : Q] degY (L)
where degY (L) = (L|Y )q is the volume of the line bundle L restricted to Y .

2.2. Canonical height over a number field. — Let X be a projective variety of

dimension k, let f : X → X be a morphism and let L be an ample line bundle on X, all
defined over a number field K. Recall that we say (X, f, L) is a polarized endomorphism
of degree d > 1 if f ∗ L ≃ L⊗d , i.e. f ∗ L is linearly equivalent to L⊗d .
It is known that polarized endomorphisms defined over the field K admit a canonical
metric. This is an adelic semi-positive continuous metric on L, which can be built as
follows: let X → Spec(OK ) be an OK -model of X and L¯ be a model of L endowed with
4 THOMAS GAUTHIER & GABRIEL VIGNY

a model metric, for example L¯ = ι∗ ŌPN (1), where ι : X ֒→ PN is an embedding inducing

L and OPN (1) is endowed with its naive metrization. We then define L̄f as
1 n ∗ ¯
L̄f := lim (f ) L |K .
n→∞ dn

This metrization induces the canonical height b

hf of f : for any closed point x ∈ X(Q̄) and
any section σ ∈ H 0 (X, L) which does not vanish at x, we let
1 X X
b
hf (x) := nv log kσ(y)k−1
v ,
[K : Q] deg(x)
v∈MK y∈O(x)

where x ∈ X(K) , O(x) is the Galois orbit of x in X. The function b hf : X(Q̄) → R satisfies
b b b b
hf ◦ f = d · hf , hf ≥ 0 and hf (x) = 0 if and only if x is preperiodic under iteration of f ,
i.e. if there is n > m ≥ 0 such that f n (x) = f m (x). Note that b
hf can also be defined as

b 1
hf (x) = lim n hX,L (f n (x)),
n→∞ d

where hX,L is any Weil height function on X associated with the ample line bundle L.

3. The canonical height over a function field of characteristic zero

We now focus on the dynamical setting: let π : X → S be a family of complex projective
varieties, where S is a smooth complex projective curve, and let L be a nef and relatively
ample line bundle on X. We let f : X 99K X be a rational map such that (X, f, L) is
a family of polarized endomorphisms of degree d ≥ 2, with regular part S 0 , i.e. for all
t ∈ S 0 (C), Xt := π −1 {t} is smooth, Lt := L|Xt is ample and ft∗ Lt ≃ L⊗d t .
Let Y ( X be a proper subvariety of X of dimension q + 1 with π(Y) = S. Let SY 0 be

the maximal Zariski open subset of S 0 such that the restriction π|Y : Y → S of π is flat
over S 0 . We denote by Y0 and X 0 the regular parts Y0 := π|−1 0 0 −1
Y (SY ) and X := π (SY ).
0

Let ω be a smooth positive form representing the first Chern class c1 (L) on X. As
f ∗ L ≃ L⊗d on X 0 , there is a smooth function g : X 0 → R such that d−1 f ∗ ω = ω + ddc g
as forms on X 0 . In particular, the following limit exists as a closed positive (1, 1)-current
on X 0
1
Tbf := lim n (f n )∗ (ω),
n→∞ d
P
and can be written as Tbf = ω + ddc gf , where gf := ∞ n=0 d
−n g ◦ f n is continuous on X 0 .

The current Tbf is the fibered Green current of f .

Let Yη be the generic fiber of a family Y → S of subvarieties of relative dimension q of
X → S, and let φn : Xn → X be a birational morphism such that f n ◦ φn extends as a
morphism Fn : Xn → X. We define
∗ {Y} · c (L)q+1


b −n(q+1) (Fn )∗ φn 1
hfη (Yη ) := lim d .
n→∞ (q + 1) degYη (Lη )

The next lemma follows from [GV]:

 VARIATION OF CANONICAL HEIGHTS 5

Lemma 1. — For any Y as above, b hfη (Yη ) is well-defined and satisfies b

hfη ((fη )∗ (Yη )) =
hfη (Yη ). In addition, we can compute b
db hfη (Yη ) as
Z
b 1
hfη (Yη ) = Tbfq+1 ∧ [Y].
(q + 1) degYη (Lη ) X 0 (C)

Proof. — The fact that it
is well-defined and the formula relating the limit of
d−n(q+1) (f n )∗ {Y} · c1 (L)q+1 with Tbfq+1 ∧ (f∗ [Y]) are contained in [GV, Theorem B].
We then can compute
Z
b 1
hfη ((fη )∗ (Yη )) = Tbq+1 ∧ (f∗ [Y])
(q + 1) degYη (fη∗ Lη ) X 0 (C) f
Z  
1 ∗ bq+1
= f T f ∧ [Y]
(q + 1)dq degYη (Lη ) X 0 (C)
Z
dq+1
= Tbq+1 ∧ [Y] = db hfη (Yη ),
(q + 1)dq degYη (Lη ) X 0 (C) f

where we used that f ∗ (Tbf ) = dTbf , dim Yη = q, and dim Y = q + 1.

In particular, the last part of the lemma states that the height b
hfη (Yη ) is > 0 if and
b q+1 0
only if the measure Tf ∧ [Y] is not identically zero on X (C).
Let πn := π ◦ φn : Xn → S. Relying on estimates from [GV] we can deduce

Lemma 2. — There is a constant C ≥ 1 depending only on (X, f, L) and Y such that

for any ample Q-line bundle M on S of degree 1 and any n ≥ 1, we have


 φ∗n {Y} · (Fn )∗ c1 (L)q+1 
 nb 
 ∗ ∗ q ∗
− d h f η (Y η ) ≤ C.
 (q + 1) (φn {Y} · (Fn ) c1 (L) · c1 (πn M)) 

Proof. — Combining Proposition 3.5 and Theorem B from [GV] we have

Z  

1
d−n(q+1) φ∗n {Y} · (Fn )∗ c1 (L)q+1 = Tbfq+1 ∧ [Y] + O n
.
0
X (C) d
Let now α be a smooth form on S(C) which represents c1 (M) (it has mass 1 = degS (M))
and ω be a smooth form on X(C) which represents c1 (L). By definition, we have
Z
∗ ∗ q ∗
(φn {Y} · (Fn ) c1 (L) · c1 (πn M)) = ((f n )∗ ω)q ∧ [Y] ∧ π ∗ (α)
X 0 (C)
Z
= π∗ (((f n )∗ ω)q ∧ [Y]) ∧ α
0 (C)
SY
Z Z 
= ((ftn )∗ ωt )q ∧α
0 (C)
SY Yt
Z


= dqn degYt (Lt ) α = dqn degYη (Lη ),
0 (C)
SY

where we used that dim Yt = q, dim Y0 = q + 1 and that ((f n )∗ ω)q ∧ [Y] has bidegree (q, q)
on Y0 (C) so that π∗ (((f n )∗ ω)q ∧ [Y]) has bidegree (0, 0) on SY
0 (C), i.e. is a function, since

the fibers of π have dimension q.

6 THOMAS GAUTHIER & GABRIEL VIGNY

4. Comparing the canonical and the naive heights in families

As above, let (X, f, L) be a family of polarized endomorphisms of degree d ≥ 2 de-
fined over K, with regular part S 0 . We endow L with a semi-positive adelic continuous
metrization L̄. We let Y ( X be a subvariety defined over K and such that π(Y) = S,
and let SY0 be the maximal Zariski open subset of S 0 such that π| is flat over S 0 . We
Y Y
also endow S with an ample divisor H of degree 1.
We prove here the following higher dimensional counterpart to Call and Silverman’s
pointwise estimate [CS, Theorem 3.1], see [Ing3, Theorem 1] for the case of hypersurfaces
of Pk
Proposition 3. — There exists a constant C ≥ 1 depending only on the family (X, f, L)
and the heights hL̄ and hS,H such that for any subvariety Y ( X such that (X, f, L, Y)
is a dynamical pair with regular part SY 0 and for any t ∈ S 0 (Q̄) we have
Y
 
 
hL̄ (Yt ) − b
hft (Yt ) ≤ C (hS,H (t) + 1) .

Proof. — Let q be the relative dimension of Y and K be a finite extension of Q over which
Y and t are defined. We let D be a divisor of X which represents L and we decompose
the height functions hL̄ and b
hft using this representative of L:
1 X 1 X
hL̄ = nv λD,v and b hft = bf ,D ,v ,
nv λ t t
[K : Q] [K : Q]
v∈MK v∈MK

where λ bf ,D ,v ◦ ft = d · λ
bf ,D ,v and λ
bf ,D ,v = λD,v |X + Ov (1), where Ov (1) = 0 for all but
1 P
t t t t t t t
finitely places v ∈ MK . We also let hS,H = [K:Q] v∈MK nv λH,v .
We rely on a key estimate of Call and Silverman [CS, Theorem 3.2]: there is a constant
C1 ≥ 1 depending only on the family (X, f, L), and the heights hL̄ and hS,H such that
for any t ∈ S 0 (Q̄), any x ∈ Xt (Q̄) \ supp(Dt ), and any v ∈ MK , we have
 
 bf ,D ,v (x) ≤ C(v)(λH,v (t) + 1).
(2) λD,v (x) − λ t t

with C(v) = C1 ≥ 1 for all v in a finite set S ⊂ MK containing all archimedean places,
and C(v) = 0 otherwise. Moreover, the constant C1 depends only on the choice of D and
on the choice of the above decompositions.
We now fix t ∈ SY 0 (Q̄) and let q := dim Y (which is independent of t ∈ S 0 (Q̄)). By
t Y
definition, we have
1 X     
hL̄ (Yt ) − b
hft (Yt ) = nv L̄q+1
t |Y t − L̄ q+1
t,ft |Y t
(q + 1)[K : Q] degYt (Lt ) v v
v∈MK

Fix now a place v ∈ MK . Then we can compute

    q 
X
j q−j 
L̄q+1
t |Y t − L̄ q+1
t,ft |Y t = L̄ t − L̄ t,ft · L̄t · L̄t,ft |Yt
v v v
j=0
Xq Z
= log k1k−1 j q−j
t,v · c1 (L̄t )v ∧ c1 (L̄t,f )v
an
Yt,v
j=0
Xq Z  
= bf ,D ,v · c1 (L̄t )j ∧ c1 (L̄t,f )q−j ,
λL̄t ,v − λ t t v v
an
Yt,v
j=0
 VARIATION OF CANONICAL HEIGHTS 7

bf ,D ,v extends as a continuous metric

where we used that the local height function λL̄t ,v − λ t t

on the trivial bundle, since hL̄t and b

hft are induced by adelic continuous metrization on
the same line bundle Lt . Combined with (2), this gives
     Xq Z
 q+1 q+1 
 L̄t |Yt − L̄t,ft |Yt  ≤ C(v) (λS,H,v (t) + 1) c1 (L̄t )jv ∧ c1 (L̄t,f )vq−j
v v an
j=0 Yt,v
Xq  
≤ C(v) (λS,H,v (t) + 1) Ljt · Ltq−j · Yt
j=0
≤ C(v) (λS,H,v (t) + 1) (q + 1) degYt (Lt ),

since the measures c1 (L̄t )jv ∧ c1 (L̄t,f )vq−j don’t give mass to the closed subvariety Dt ∩ Yt ,
seen as a pluripolar subset of Xt,v an , see e.g. [BE, Lemma 8.6] for non-archimedean v ∈
1 P
MK . As we have hS,H = [K:Q] v∈MK nv λS,H,v , summing over all places and dividing by
(q + 1)[K : Q] degYt (Lt ) gives
 
 
hL̄ (Yt ) − bhft (Yt ) ≤ C1 (hS,H (t) + 1) ,

for all t ∈ SY0 (Q̄), which is the wanted estimate, supp(D ) ∩ supp(Y ) is not a component
t t
of supp(Yt ).
Let us now replace D by another divisor representing L in a finite family of such divisors
so that we can make sure that for any family Y → S and any t ∈ SY 0 (Q̄), there is a choice
(i)
D (i) such that supp(Dt ) ∩ supp(Yt ) is not a component of supp(Yt ). Replacing C1 by
maxi C1 (D (i) ) gives the wanted estimate.

5. Variation of canonical heights of subvarieties

5.1. Variation of naive heights of subvarieties. — The material here follows the
presentation of Yuan and Zhang [YZ] of the Deligne pairing ([Del]). Let S be a smooth
and integral projective curve defined over a number field K. Let π : X → S be a projective
and flat morphism defined over K. Let D := dim(X) − 1 > 0 be its relative dimension.
Let L̄ be a model ample line bundle on X, i.e. there is a OK -model X of X, together
with an hermitian line bundle L¯ which restricts as L̄ on the generic fiber of the structure
morphism X → Spec(OK ). One can define an adelic metrized ample line bundle on S as
the Deligne pairing hL̄D+1 i. By [YZ], we can easily prove the following

Theorem 4. — Let S be a smooth integral projective curve and X be an integral projective

variety, both defined over a number field. Assume there is a flat and projective morphism
π : X → S of relative dimension D, also defined over a number field. Let L̄ be a big and
nef line bundle on X, equipped with a model metric.
 −1
Then M̄ := (D + 1) degXη (Lη ) hL̄D+1 i is an adelic semi-positive continuous ample
line bundle on S whose induced height function is given by
hM̄ (t) = hL̄ (Xt ), t ∈ S(Q̄).
Moreover, for any place v ∈ MK , the measure c1 (M̄ )v is π∗ c1 (L̄)D v and degS (M ) =
hLη (Xη ), where Xη is the generic fiber of π and Lη is the restrictions of L to Xη .
8 THOMAS GAUTHIER & GABRIEL VIGNY

Proof. — Fix a OK -model π : X → S of π : X → S which is flat and projective

and which induces the hermitian line bundle L̄. Yuan and Zhang [YZ, §4.4] prove that
M¯ := hL¯D+1 i is an ample hermitian line bundle on S and that one can compute



hL¯D+1 i|t̄ L¯D+1 |X̄t
hhL̄D+1 i (t) = = ,
deg(t̄) deg(t̄)
where t̄ (resp. X̄t ) is the closure of t (resp. of Xt ) in the scheme X . Note that the last
quantity is precisely (D + 1) degXt (Lt )hL̄ (Xt ). As π is projective and flat, degXt (Lt ) =
degXη (Lη ) for all t. We deduce the wanted properties of M̄ noticing that M̄ is the
restriction of M¯ to the special fiber of the structure morphism S → Spec(OK ).
All there is left to do is to compute the measure c1 (M̄ )v at an archimedean place v ∈ MK .
This is done in [YZ, §4.3.2] where c1 (M̄ )v = π∗ (c1 (L̄)D v ) is proved, which concludes the
proof.

5.2. From comparison of heights to variation of heights. — We now come back

to the dynamical setting: let (X, f, L, Y) be a dynamical pair parametrized by a smooth
projective curve S, all defined over a number field K, with regular part S 0 .

In what follow, we say that the dynamical pair (X, f, L, Y) is unstable if b

hfη (Yη ) 6= 0.
We now prove the following, which implies the main theorem.

Theorem 5. — Let (X, f, L, Y) be a dynamical pair parametrized by S with regular part

S 0 , all defined over a number field K. For any Q-ample height hS on S of degree 1 and
any ε > 0, there exists a constant C(ε) > 0 such that, the following holds for all t ∈ S0 (Q̄),
   
hfη (Yη ) − ε hS (t) − C(ε) ≤ b
b hft (Yt ) ≤ b
hfη (Yη ) + ε hS (t) + C(ε).

In particular, if the dynamical pair (X, f, L, Y) is unstable, the function t 7→ b

hft (Yt ) is
an ample height on S.

Proof. — As f is a finite endomorphism on X 0 and Sf0n (Y) = SY 0 for any n ≥ 1, we

can apply Proposition 3 to the cycle (ftn )∗ (Yt ) for all t ∈ SY 0 (Q̄). This is possible since
n n n n
(ft )∗ (Yt ) = deg(ft |Yt ) · ft (Yt ) and ft (Yt ) is irreducible at least when Yt is.
 
 
hL̄ ((ftn )∗ (Yt )) − b
hft ((ftn )∗ (Yt )) ≤ C (hS,H (t) + 1) .

Let now φn : Xn → X be a birational morphism such that there is a morphism Fn :

Xn → X with Fn = f n ◦ φn on φ−1 0 −n F )∗ L̄. As F is a gener-
n (X ) and let L̄n := (d n n
ically finite morphism and L̄ is an ample adelic semi-positive continuous metrized line
bundle, the line bundle L̄n is an adelic semi-positive continuous metrized big and nef
line bundle on Xn . Set now Yn := φ−1 n (Y). Up to applying the Raynaud-Gruson flat-
tening theorem [RG, Theorem 5.2.2], we can assume Yn → S is flat and projective.
Now, we define a hermitian line bundle L̄n on Yn by restricting L̄n to Yn . Since for
any t ∈ S 0 (Q̄), we have hL̄ ((ftn )∗ (Yt )) = h(f n )∗ L̄ (Yt ) = hL̄n (φ−1
n (Yt )), by the invariance
b b
property hf ((ft )∗ (Yt )) = dhf (Yt ), this gives
t t
  C
 −1 b 
(3) hL̄n (φn (Yt )) − hft (Yt ) ≤ n (hS,H (t) + 1) .
d
 VARIATION OF CANONICAL HEIGHTS 9

We now rely on Theorem 4: the function t 7→ hL̄n (φ−1 n (Yt )) is a Weil height function asso-
ciated with an ample adelic semi-positive continuous Q-line bundle Mn on S. Moreover,
the degree of this line bundle is given by
1
deg(Mn ) = n hLη ((f n )∗ (Yη ))
d
1

= n n ∗
c1 (L)q+1 · (Fn )∗ {Yn }
d (q + 1)vol(((fη ) Lη )|Yη )
1 q+1


= c 1 (L) · (Fn )∗ {Y}
(q + 1)dn(q+1) vol(Lη |Yη )
=bhf (Yη ) + O(d−n ),
η

where we used Lemma 1. We now use the quasi-equivalence of ample height functions on
a projective curve, see e.g. [La, Chapter 4, Corollary 3.5]: for any two height functions
h1 , h2 induced by two ample line bundles L1 , L2 on S respectively, then
h2 (t) deg(L2 )
lim = .
h1 (t)→∞ h1 (t) deg(L1 )
Fix now any ample height hS on S induced by an ample Q-line bundle of degree 1. We
deduce from the above that hL̄ ((ftn )∗ (Yt )) = dnb hfη (Yη ) + O(1) hS (t) + εn (hS (t)), where
εn (hS (t)) = o(hS (t)) depends on n. Together with (3), this gives
  C
b  1
hfη (Yη )hS (t) − b
hft (Yt ) ≤ n (hS (t) + hS,H (t) + 1) + εn (hS (t)),
d
for all t ∈ S 0 (Q̄). Again by quasi-equivalence of ample heights, we have hS,H ≤ C2 (hS + 1)
since H is ample and hS is induced by an ample line bundle, where C ′′ depends only on
deg(H). Fix n > 1 large enough so that 2C1 (1 + C2 ) ≤ dn ε. We then have
  ε
b b 
h (Y
 fη η S)h (t) − h ft t  ≤ hS (t) + hS,H (t) + C3 + εn (hS (t)),
(Y )
2
0
for all t ∈ S (Q̄), where C3 > 0 is a constant depending on ε > 0. Now, as εn (hS (t)) =
o(hS (t)), there exists B(ε) ≥ 1 such that if hS (t) ≥ B(ε), then εn (hS (t)) ≤ εhS (t)/2 and
we have εn (hS (t)) ≤ B(ε) + 2ε hS (t). The conclusion follows letting C(ε) := C3 + (ε).
An immediate consequence is the Theorem from the introduction:
Proof of the Main Theorem. — Fix ε > 0, divide the inequalities obtained in Theorem 5
by hS (t) and make it tend to ∞ to find
 
 b 
 h f (Y t ) 
 lim t b 
 hS (t)→∞ hS (t) − hfη (Yη ) ≤ ε.
 t∈S 0(Q̄) 
As this holds for any ε > 0, the result follows.

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Thomas Gauthier, Laboratoire de Mathématiques d’Orsay, Bâtiment 307, Université Paris-Saclay, 91405
Orsay Cedex, France • E-mail : [email protected]
Gabriel Vigny, LAMFA, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, 33 rue Saint-Leu, 80039 AMIENS Cedex 1,
FRANCE • E-mail : [email protected]