We prove a categorical version of the Torelli theorem for cubic threefolds. More precisely, we show that the non-trivial part of a semi-orthogonal decomposition of the derived category of a cubic threefold characterizes its isomorphism class.

Let X → Y be a fibration whose fibers are complete intersections of r quadrics. We develop new categorical and algebraic tools-a theory of relative homological projective duality and the Morita invariance of the even Clifford algebra under quadric reduction by hyperbolic splitting-to study semiorthogonal decompositions of the bounded derived category D b (X). Together with results in the theory of quadratic forms, we apply these tools in the case where r = 2 and X → Y has relative dimension 1, 2, or 3, in which case the fibers are curves of genus one, Del Pezzo surfaces of degree 4, or Fano threefolds, respectively. In the latter two cases, if Y = P 1 over an algebraically closed field of characteristic zero, we relate rationality questions to categorical representability of X.

Abstract. A semiorthogonal decomposition for the bounded derived category (the category of perfect complexes in a non smooth case) of coherent sheaves on a Brauer Severi scheme is given. It relies on bounded derived categories (categories of perfect complexes in a non smooth case) of suitably twisted coherent sheaves on the base.

We study the birational properties of geometrically rational surfaces from a derived categorical perspective. In particular, we give a criterion for the rationality of a del Pezzo surface S over an arbitrary field, namely, that its derived category decomposes into zero‐dimensional components. When S has degree at least 5 we construct explicit semiorthogonal decompositions by subcategories of modules over semisimple algebras arising as endomorphism algebras of vector bundles and we show how to retrieve information about the index of S from Brauer classes and Chern classes associated to these vector bundles.

We isolate a class of smooth rational cubic fourfolds X containing a plane whose associated quadric surface bundle does not have a rational section. This is equivalent to the nontriviality of the Brauer class β of the even Clifford algebra over the K3 surface S of degree 2 arising from X. Specifically, we show that in the moduli space of cubic fourfolds, the intersection of divisors C 8 ∩ C 14 has five irreducible components. In the component corresponding to the existence of a tangent conic, we prove that the general member is both pfaffian and has β nontrivial. Such cubic fourfolds provide twisted derived equivalences between K3 surfaces of degrees 2 and 14, hence further corroboration of Kuznetsov's derived categorical conjecture on the rationality of cubic fourfolds.

We show the existence of Bridgeland stability conditions on all Fano threefolds, by proving a modified version of a conjecture by Bayer, Toda, and the second author. The key technical ingredient is a strong Bogomolov inequality, proved recently by Chunyi Li. Additionally, we prove the original conjecture for some toric threefolds by using the toric Frobenius morphism. Comment: 24 pages, 1 figure. Fifth version: Official version of the journal

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Abstract. We show that a standard conic bundle over a minimal rational surface is rational and its Jacobian splits as the direct sum of Jacobians of curves if and only if its derived category admits a semiorthogonal decomposition by exceptional objects and the derived categories of those curves. Moreover, such a decomposition gives the splitting of the intermediate Jacobian also when the surface is not minimal.